Monsters of the Machine
by TTarTrainer
Summary: Pokemon are being turned into Vampires by unknown means, and it's up to a DeMon named Nee to find out what's going on. With the help of the Hellsing Organization, of course. This was originally being posted under another account of mine, see inside for more info. Reviews are always welcome
1. Prologue

**A/N:** This story is, obviously, very AU. While most things in the Hellsing universe are the same, there will be some very big changes once I get to the plot. Those of you following the Hellsing Ultimate OVA or the manga will see what I mean. As stated above, this story is based on events and characters from the manga/Ultimate OVA, NOT the original 13-episode TV series. Sorry Incognito fans :P. Also, this was originally being posted under another account of mine, but I've lost all the information for accessing that account, so I'm going to be posting it under this account so I can put up the finished story.

* * *

_**+PROLOGUE+**_

The night was heavy with death.

I stood amid the slaughter, looking about sadly. Several of the small houses were aflame, casting a dancing light on the ghastly scene sprawled before me. Blood was awash in the streets, painting the walls of nearby buildings, puddled thickly on the ground. Bodes were piled everywhere, limbs flung carelessly, if they weren't missing. Stomachs ripped open, entrails and other organs dragged from their body cavities. Faces torn from skulls. Carcasses crushed into smears of gore. Men, women, children, Pokemon, and even a few animals decorated the village with their remains. The bitter, harsh scents of death, fear, anger, and waste bit at my sensitive nostrils, and I couldn't hold back a sneeze.

I turned my back on the scene, only to have it greet me again. It didn't matter where I looked, everywhere there was murder. My paws curled themselves into fists, and I felt my claws prick at the palms. With a sigh I uncurled my fists, ignoring the trickles of blood coming from the small holes my talons had caused. I swished my tail, angry with all this mindless killing, and my wings fluttered in agitation as I closed my amber eyes for a moment. After I felt a bit calmer, I opened them again and walked to the closest building, a tiny, ranch-style house with its windows shattered and door missing. I stared at the sad-looking structure for a moment before walking inside, carefully stepping around the streaks of blood and meat that were sprinkled about. After a moment I found the bathroom and looked into a full-length body mirror, almost hating what I saw reflected in it.

Even though the only light was that coming from the fires, my sharp eyes saw my reflection as if it were midday. The glass showed me a creature of about seven feet tall, looking surprisingly human from the waist up, for the most part. A lean upper body covered in a simple white tee-shirt, an elf-like face framed by a long golden mane. Amber eyes that gleamed in the darkness, a small mouth that hid deadly fangs. Muscles cording under the flesh, strong yet petite shoulders tapering into long, powerful arms. Hand-like paws that ended in five digits, each tipped with a wicked white talon, with the middle one being about an inch longer than the others. From my back, between my shoulders, rose a long thin fin covered in dark blue scales, and two more fins grew from the bottoms of my upper arms. They were covered in the same midnight-blue scales as the fin on my back, against which were folded long black wings, two on either side of my back-fin. What looked like cream-colored flesh was actually thick, callous-like skin.

From the waist down I looked more like my host, a Garchomp. My legs were reptilian, bending backwards at the knee and ending in thick, heavy paw-feet. On each of these was three toes, all six of them tipped with claws that were smaller but no less sharper than the ones on my fingers. Two large spikes rose from the upper half of each legs, and a thick, powerful tail sliced the air behind me. Everything below my waist was covered in tough scales the same midnight-blue as my fins, except my stomach. This was covered in thick orange-red scales, as was the underside of my tail.

I snarled suddenly, whirling from the mirror and smashing it with my tail. It shattered with an explosion of smashed glass, which fell to the pale-white linoleum with a sort of tinkling crash. I felt a sharp sting along the side of my tail where a stray piece of glass sliced through the scales and meat, and felt a fierce sort of self-destructive pleasure arise from the pain. Then the moment passed, and I sighed heavily as I felt the cut begin to heal. Sometimes I hated what I was, just because of the fact that my kin were such...monsters.

I was a De_Mon_ who hated senseless killing, who didn't revel in chaos and terror and murder. That had set me apart from just about every other De_Mon_, and not in a good way. They all saw me as a weakling, a traitor to De_Mon_-kind. I can't count how many times I've had run-ins with my brothers and sisters, but I can tell you that each of them ended with my brethren trying to kill me for the simple reason that I had a conscious. How many of them I've had to slay, how many poor Pokemon, commanded in a horde or made into Bound that I've had to kill.

Outside was the cause of one of countless battles for survival. I had come to this town in the guise of a normal Garchomp, since we De_Mon_s are able to appear fully as our hosts for short periods of time. I had heard rumors of strange Pokemon attacking the townspeople here, Pokemon who weren't being led in a horde or Bound. These Pokemon had been in their own small group, about five or six, all different. They had been said to have possessed glowing red eyes and huge fangs, and had attacked people and ripped into them to feast on their blood. My reason for deciding to check out these rumors was simple: I'd heard of similar things happening all around the country, but this happening had been closest to me at the time.

I had flown here to check on things, only to find that another De_Mon_ had beat me to it. This one had been a Raichu De_Mon_, and, like all my other ilk, he chose to look like a horribly mutated version of his host, whereas I preferred looking as human as I could. He had been only about half my height, covered in dirty, pus-yellow fur that had been missing in large clumps, revealing black, swollen flesh beneath. His legs had been about two times too long for his height, his arms nearly two times too small. His arms and legs had abruptly ended in massive white claws: there had been no paws or digits. His tail had resembled a scorpion's more than a Raichu's, long and segmented with a giant, poison-drooling stinger at the tip. His face had been mashed in, his mouth wide and so full of ripping fangs that it hadn't been able to close fully. He'd had six pulsing red eyes, each of them full of madness and loathing when he had seen me. His ears had been simple holes in the sides of his head, and spikes had been running down his back. All in all, he had been extremely unpleasant to look at.

He had told me, as a manner of gloating, that he had come here to take advantage of the chaos being caused by the weird blood-drinking Pokemon. No one had paid him any mind at first, because several people had been killed or severely injured by the Pokemon, and only after the De_Mon_ had Summoned a massive horde of at least one hundred Raichu had the humans realized a De_Mon_ was among them. The male had also had a few Bound with him, but no one had really cared about them. Their De_Mon_ hadn't ordered them to do anything, and he hadn't been in any danger, so they had simply loafed around as the Summoned Raichu and the De_Mon _had carried on killing.

I had lost my temper when that little freak had bragged about how easy killing all those poor humans had been. I'd slipped from my Host form to my Pure form, the twisted shape our host bodies take upon a De_Mon_'s initial possession of a Pokemon. I hated that form, how hideous it was and the evil it represented. That I had taken such a sick shape had driven me even further into rage, and when the male De_Mon_ had ordered his Summoned and Bound to attack me, I had killed them with a massive outpouring of one of my Professions, Flame. A hellish blast of red flames had exploded from my body, created and powered by my spirit, focused and strengthened by my host's body. The Summoned and Bound had died instantly in those flames, though their De_Mon _required a bit more force to take down. After having finished the battle, I'd calmed down enough to assume my Hybrid form, the one I preferred being in.

Now I stalked out of the house, trying to avoid all the death spread out around me. I spotted the remains of one of the Summoned Raichu in the distance and felt a pang of regret hit me. Those poor things, and the Bound as well, hadn't deserved to be used as tools as they had been. They hadn't deserved being forced to fight. They shouldn't have had to die, but when a Pokemon is Summoned, its mind is warped for the rest of its life, and Bound are loyal to their De_Mon _until the last breath leaves their bodies.

And I'd learned nothing, had absolutely nothing, to show for it. All this bloodshed I'd subjected myself to, and hadn't caught even a glimpse of one of the odd Pokemon that attacked the village earlier. I growled softly as I left the tragic scene, my wings peeling open as I walked. As soon as I passed the boundaries of the village, I looked up at the full moon and pondered where to go next. The closest big city was about an hour's flight from here, and it would be there that I would most likely get any information about where to go or what to do now. I was fully dedicated to solving the mystery of the strange blood-drinking Pokemon, because some part of me knew it had something to do with De_Mon_s as well. I didn't know how I knew it, exactly, except maybe as some sort of instinct or intuition.

My wings opened to their full span of nearly twenty feet, and I refused to look at the scene behind me as I crouched, then leapt into the air. My wings pumped a few times as I gained altitude, and as soon as I was high enough I switched to soaring.

And with my departure, the only one left looking upon the sad, terrible massacre was the cold, indifferent moon...


	2. Order One Encounters of the Fateful Kind

_**+Order One: Encounters of the Fateful Kind+**_

_"There's no one else to blame but you  
Choose your way, choose what to do  
Pick your poison, pay the price  
Change of fate, wouldn't that be nice?..."_

Day came swiftly. I had entered the city around two or three in the morning, then landed, taken my Host form, and found somewhere to sleep. The events of the night had left me surprisingly drained, both physically and mentally. That was no surprise, seeing as it had been months since I'd last had to kill, since I'd last had to bear witness to such slaughter.

I woke to the sound of voices nearby. I shifted slightly, trying to rouse myself fully. I had found a small, cramped alleyway between two large buildings, and stuck against the concrete wall that made the alley a dead-end was a large radiator. It was under this I had taken shelter, certain that no one would come upon me here. So much for that.

The voices were coming closer, and now I could tell they belonged to young children. I shifted again and peered from under the radiator, seeing nothing but a tangle of legs and feet. They were closer than I had thought, if that was all I could see. I moved my bulk backwards, only to feel the cold of the concrete wall against my tail seconds later. The only way out from under this thing was forward.

"I'm telling ya, it's huge!" said a voice, a boy's. "I never seen such a big Garchomp, not never!" I groaned faintly at his words; the hope that maybe they were just here to play dashed itself to pieces against the child's words. I wondered when the boy had seen me, how he had come upon this alley and thought to look under the radiator.

"There ain't nothing under here, I bet," said a girl's voice. "You always lie about stuff and then try and scare us, well, it won't work this time! I don't even know why we bothered to listen to you, you little brat."

"Aaww, shut it and look already!" the boy huffed, and seconds later a face appeared less than two feet from me. It was a girl, of course, her face covered in dirt and freckles. Even in the shadow I could see her eyes were blue, full of irritation that quickly changed to surprise and excitement. She blew out her cheeks and made a funny noise as she stared at me, eyes getting wide. A lock of dirty, matted red hair fell into them moments later, and she shoved it aside with a grimy hand.

"Well lookit that! There is a great big old Garchomp under here!" she crowed, kneeling down. She was wearing a dingy pink dress, which was covered in stains. She clasped her thin arms around her knees, revealing old scars and fresh scabs, and mud caked on at least three layers deep. She cocked her head as she studied me, and behind her the other children were jostling in order to get a look at me. I lowered my head a bit, just a fraction, wondering what to do. As I was thinking, another kid, this one a boy no older than six, dropped to his knees beside the girl and pointed at me, squealing in fear and delight.

"Garchomp, Garchomp!" he chanted, and it seemed to drive the others into a kind of frenzy. They pushed at one another and the two before me, almost desperate to get a peek at the famous Garchomp. They shouted and yelled, and the noise quickly gave birth to a throb in the back of my head. This wasn't good, not at all, and as I did a quick check on my energy level I found just how bad it was.

My energy level was distressingly low. I had been in my Host form all night and most of the morning, and I could only hold this form for about twelve hours. Depending on our spiritual strength and the size of our hosts, we De_Mon_s can hold our Host forms for as little to an hour to as long as an entire day. My limit was fast approaching; I had twenty minutes tops before I would have to revert to my Pure form. What I wanted to do was get out of here and find a safe, secure place where I could assume my Hybrid form. That form took almost no energy to hold, and it was possible to gain energy back while holding it. Of course, I couldn't do that here in front of these kids.

Don't get me wrong. Humans have known about us for years, seeing as De_Mon_s have made our existence obvious with all the killing and ravaging they do in plain sight of humans. It's not like I was trying to protect my brethren by hiding the fact that we exist. I wouldn't mind them being destroyed, seeing as they were all evil, sick-looking murderers themselves. No, it was the fact that I didn't want to change forms in front of these children because doing so would terrify them. The last thing I wanted, or needed for that matter, was for these little humans to go screaming to their parents, wailing that a vicious De_Mon _had attacked them out of nowhere and tried to eat them. That would bring a medieval mob armed with modern-day weapons down on me, and I had come here seeking information, not to be chased all over or forced to fight.

The thing was, I didn't want to hurt the kids either. I could try scaring them away by roaring or something, but then they would just run home screaming that a vicious Garchomp had attacked them out of nowhere and tried to eat them. I thought long and hard about what I could do to get out of here without getting into any more trouble, and then it came to me as silent as a cloud passing by. By this point, the kids were trading weak blows, knocking one another around in an attempt to assert dominance and be the next to see me. The girl had joined in the battle, though the young, black-haired boy was still pointing at me and screeching, "Garchomp, Garchomp!"

"That's quite enough of that!" I said loudly, and instantly the fighting came to a stop. The boy in front of me let his hand fall limply to his side, his jaw dropping in shock as he gawked at me. His brown eyes grew huge as I pushed my way forward, and he fell back onto his butt and scrabbled away as fast as he could as I moved. The other kids broke apart, jumping to their feet if they had fallen, scooting back rapidly as I finally cleared the radiator and stood, dusting myself off absently. I scanned the group, guessed there were about twelve of them, and jabbed a claw at them. "Really, do you have to fight like rabid animals just to get a look at me? I'm just an ordinary Garchomp, for crying out loud, maybe a little bigger than most, but just a Garchomp all the same. Why did you have to come here and wake me up? If you wanted to see a Garchomp you should ask a Trainer or something, not go poking around the temporary nest of a wild one. You know, most Garchomp would have been really mad, and might even have attacked you for waking them up so rudely!" I paused my rambling, eyeing the children with the air of a stern parent handing out a punishment. "You should all apologize, I think."

"Y-yuh-you can talk!" the little boy who'd been pointing breathed, and I made a show of rolling my eyes and sighing heavily.

"Oh, yes, well, so? You can talk, too."

"B-but you're a Pokemon! Pokemon don't talk!"

"Of course we do!" I replied, mustering all the heat and indignation I could. "We talk all the time, just not in a language you humans understand. What do you suppose we're doing when we say our names over and over again? Having fun? There's subtle meanings in all those utterings, y'know."

"Why do you talk so we can't understand?" asked the girl who had looked at me first, and I flicked a claw at her.

"Because we don't want you knowing what we're saying, why else? Now look, I'm very tired and I would like to go somewhere where there aren't a bunch of annoying kids keeping me awake and asking lots of questions." I gave an exaggerated huff. "And none of you even said sorry for waking me up like you all did..." And with that I strode forward. The group parted like butter around a knife; the effect I'd wanted had been achieved. The kids were shocked by a talking Garchomp, and a little afraid too. Not so afraid that they'd run off crying to some adults though, which was the main thing. I didn't look back as I stomped off, trying to make it so the kids wouldn't be tempted to follow me. It must have worked, because a few minutes later I was walking down another alley and no one was trailing me.

I sighed heavily, this time meaning it, and assumed my Hybrid form. I felt a little better afterwards, for the strain that had been settling on my body was eased now that I wasn't expending so much of my last remaining bits of energy. I wandered further into the alley, feeling proud of myself. The kids would talk about our encounter, of course, but everyone would just think they were making up some wild story. They were just kids, after all, and how many countless times did kids have fantasies of meeting talking Pokemon?

I wandered until I felt thoroughly lost, only feeling truly safe when I was sure no one would be able to stumble upon me. This alley was different than the last, in that it twisted and looped all about, branching off every which way into other, smaller alleys. I was in one of these tinier alleys, and it would only be by a stroke of extreme misfortune that I would be found.

I stretched as I came to a halt, scratching at my bare stomach a moment later as I leaned against a wall. That was another thing: after taking my Host form, my shirt had been pretty much destroyed by the extra bulk that had filled it. That meant I would have to find a new one soon, since I felt uncomfortable wandering around stark naked. Yeah, so it seems weird that I'd be worried about something like modesty. At least I had some.

I noticed movement in the shadows a few feet to my left. I turned my head just a little, looking out of the corner of my eye and trying to pinpoint the disturbance. My vision wasn't as good in my Hybrid form as it was in my other two, but it was still much sharper than a human's, and within seconds I spotted what had been moving.

It was a Spiritomb, hovering near the corner of the wall I was leaning on. It was a whirling mass of violet energy with glittering green spots scattered here and there, and near the bottom was a small grey stone that seemed to be pulsing. I blinked, focusing on the Pokemon as I turned to face it fully. It was fading, as if it were merging with the shadows all around. Suddenly, though, it twisted around to face me. Holes ripped open in the place of eyes, and a gaping tear formed under the smaller rends, all three of them the same color as the emerald spots. It stared at me, or maybe glared, or maybe something else entirely. I couldn't be sure, since there was no real expression to read. Then the rip that made its mouth stretched and curved until it was a wicked grin, and it floated backwards until vanished into the darkness of the alley.

I watched the place where the Pokemon had disappeared, feeling highly uneasy. It hadn't attacked me or acted malicious in any way, but something about the way it had grinned at me was unsettling. It was like it knew something that I didn't, something important, and I wondered if maybe it had something to do with the Vampiric Pokemon I was, for lack of a better term, investigating.

After a few minutes I turned from the shadows, that unpleasant sense of dark foreboding making itself at home in my heart. There was nothing to be done about it now though. The Spiritomb was gone, hopefully for good, and I was still alive and healthy and capable of continuing my search. I titled my head back, judging by the position of the sun that it was close to ten in the morning. It would take me a few hours to regain enough energy to assume my Host form and go out to try and find more information. Not only that, but my stomach reminded me with a dull roar that I hadn't eaten for nearly a day. It would be best to rest up and then find something to eat.

After a bit more searching, I found an abandoned nest that had once belonged to a large Pokemon, maybe a stray Mightyena or Purugly. The scent of whatever had made this had long since gone cold; in fact, there was no fresh scent on or near it at all. That meant there was no concern that a new owner would come and find me stealing their bed, which meant I could rest unmolested. I laid down on the large structure of shredded blankets, grass, small twigs, and old fur, curling up and falling back asleep almost immediately.

It seemed like I had just closed my eyes when I was startled awake by screaming. I jerked, disoriented and unsure of where I was. Why was it dark? It lasted only for a moment though, and I sprung to my feet-paws as the screams rang out over and over. Night had fallen; I must have been more tired than I'd realized, and my stomach was competing with the endless shrieks for my attention. A hunger pang stabbed at me, and I gave a little grunt as I glanced around blindly, not sure which way I wanted to go.

Finally I moved forward, and after a lot of turning and back-tracking I exited the labyrinth of back paths and alleyways. I was opposite the side of all the screaming, and though I was horribly curious to find out what was happening, I was more concerned with finding something to eat.

I assumed my Host form as I left the alley, casting about cautiously before moving into the open. There was no one around, and I assumed everyone had gone over to where the commotion was taking place. That was good for me, as I could find some food without much trouble, since no one was around to chase me off if I got too close. People tended to be wary of Garchomp, especially wild ones. Luckily, this meant I could travel around in my Host form without too much confrontation. As long as I didn't bother anyone, most people were more than happy to leave me to my own devices. The only exception was the occasional Trainer who thought they could catch me.

The first house I came to become my target. I peered through the closest window, saw no lights on and sensed no movement. I made my way to the front door and hooked my claw over it, twisting my whole arm down in order to turn the knob. It was unlocked, much to my surprise, but I quickly got over it and hurried inside. Once I did, I shut the door silently and crouched low to the floor. If the door was unlocked, there was a good chance someone was home. I wanted to avoid detection if I could, so I practically crawled along the floor as I explored the two-story building.

It took a few minutes because of the size of the house and how slow I was moving, but I finally came upon the kitchen. Once I was there, I went as fast and quietly as I could to the refrigerator. I was glad to see it was one of the older ones, with the handle that stuck out of the door like a little rectangle. It was easy to hook my claw around it and tug it open, and instantly I was rewarded with the heavy scent of beef.

Without hesitating, I shoved my head into the fridge and started looking for the meat. I found it seconds later, in a large pan on the bottom shelf that was covered with foil. The thin aluminum was easily torn away with my fangs, revealing huge strips of dark brown meat marinating in heavy juices that were a few shades darker than the beef.

I heard, as well as felt, my stomach give a loud, long gurgle of impatience. I nodded a few times in agreement; it was time to eat! Tenderly, trying not to get drool all over, I stuck my snout in the pan and scooped up a jawful of the stuff. Then I gave a little groan, because it was freaking awesome The beef was so soft, and the thick juices helped define the subtle flavors of the meat. I swallowed the food without bothering to chew, then took another large jawful and slowly pulped it between my fangs, savoring it. After gulping it down, I took a few more smaller strips and stood, not wanting to be greedy and take all of what had doubtlessly taken hours of work to cook. I chewed quickly, swallowed, and then nudged the door shut with a foot-paw.

And saw the man standing in the kitchen doorway.

I froze, staring tensely at the human. He was middle-aged, with thinning grey hair and a paunch that spoke of long days in front of the television. He was wearing a black sleeping robe, and on his feet were, of all things, pink fuzzy slippers. I would have laughed at the sight, had I not just been caught raiding the man's food. I wanted to lick my jaws and get the last drops of juice clinging to them, but resisted the urge; I did NOT want this man to think I was licking my jaws and envisioning him as the next course.

"Eeeeeaaaasy now," the man said suddenly, in a voice that people reserve for a dangerous dog or unstable person. "Eeeeeeaaaasy now, that's it, see, I won't hurt you, just stay calm, everything's okay...you must be really hungry, I've never heard of a Garchomp breaking into someone's house to steal food, though I'd have thought there'd be enough food for you all..." As he said it, he looked guilty, but I didn't even understand what he was talking about, so I had no idea why he looked so bad for saying what he had. "But nice and easy, that's it, that's right..." As he was speaking, the man was easing his way around the kitchen to the back door. I followed his movements carefully, in case he decided to grab a knife and try to fight me. He kept talking in that low, gentle voice, which quickly started getting on my nerves. I wasn't some simple animal!

With a sigh I turned to the door the man was heading for and walked to it. The human stopped cold as I did, watching me as I hooked the doorknob and twisted it. A moment later I was outside, not bothering to look back when I knew I would see a relieved human watching me go.

I shook my head as I made my way to the other side of the city, from which I could now hear sirens coming from. I had been lucky; that man could have had a gun on him or something. We De_Mon_s heal fast and can take a lot of damage, but that doesn't mean we're immortal. A bullet in the right place will kill us as sure as it would a human.

I moved faster, anxious to see what was causing such a ruckus. As I drew closer and closer to where the main commotion was taking place, I saw smoke rising from several places. I shuddered, remembering the carnage of last night, which had been bathed in the light of flames. I hoped I wouldn't have to be witness to anything like I'd seen then. Somehow, though, I knew that the things that would happen tonight wouldn't be pretty.

And suddenly I was in the middle of chaos. People were running, screaming, shooting guns, lying on the ground, sobbing, ordering Pokemon in battle. The cause of all this was a mass of Garchomp, a Horde. A loud growl worked its way through my chest, up my throat, and out of my jaws. There was another Garchomp De_Mon _here! The thought made me shake with disgust. At least now I knew what that man had meant by his somewhat morbid comment of there being enough food...

Suddenly a bullet zipped by my head, missing by half a breath. I yelped in surprise and turned in the direction the shot had come from. A younger man was facing me, legs spread in a wide, unbalanced stance. He was holding his weapon, a small pistol, in both hands, which were shaking something fierce. In fact, his whole body was trembling, and his eyes were showing whites all around in his terror.

"No, no, go away, leave us alone, no!" he cried, short brown hair flying everywhere as he shook his head madly. "No, leave us alone, don't come near me, go away!" Then he was knocked down by a Garchomp that had snuck up behind him, and the gun was knocked from his grasp. He wailed as he fell, and I leapt forward in a vain effort to help him. The true Garchomp fastened its fangs around the back of the youth's throat and shook him back and forth, snapping his neck as if it were a twig. I bellowed as I slammed into the Pokemon a moment later, slashing my fin at its face. The Garchomp screeched as the sharp edge of my fin sliced it from one side of its face to the other, blood spurting as it crashed to the ground and thrashed about. Without hesitating, I jumped on the other and kicked at its neck, seconds later tearing a massive wound open. The warped thing convulsed as its life poured out with its blood, and seconds later it lie dead. After a second I turned to the young man, slowly walking over to stand in front of him. He was lying on his stomach with his head twisted almost all the way around, and I was shocked to see a bit of life left in his grey eyes. He tried to speak, but his throat had been destroyed when his neck had broken. It was easy enough to read his lips, though: "Help me..."

I sighed softly, feeling my heart break for this poor human. Then I bent down, putting my face close to his. The man's eyes widened a little in fear and pain, then in shock, as I said, "I'm sorry, human, but there's nothing I can do for you. All I can do is try to get someone over here that can make you comfortable..."

"De_Mon_..." the youth mouthed, and I nodded slowly.

"Yes, I am, but not like the one that's Summoned these Garchomp. But it's not your concern, human. Right now, you need to rest, and I'll take care of the one who's causing all this madness. Close your eyes and sleep now..." The young man blinked sluggishly at my words, mouthed something I couldn't understand, and died.

I stared at him for a moment, then turned away as I stood. All around me were more people being killed by the infuriated, maddened Garchomp, and there were so many I didn't know where to start helping. Eventually, I decided to start with the ones closest, and so I leapt into action as I assumed my Hybrid form, which would let me use more energy for my Professions and less energy holding a form that wasn't my Pure one.

The second Garchomp I targeted fell to a whirling black vortex of flames, screaming and kicking as the fire melted through its thick scales and utterly destroyed the thing to its very core of existence. As the last few ashes floated away on a warm breeze full of the scents of battle, I turned to face the older woman I'd just saved. She was staring at me in open-mouthed astonishment, weakly clutching a scimitar in one hand. Apparently the appearance of a De_Mon _in their (naked) Hybrid form was enough of a shock, let alone the appearance of one that was helping you.

"Don't just stand there, get moving!" I hollered, waving an arm at the woman. "Come on, if you just stand there you might get attacked by another one, you gotta keep moving!" Finally, the surprise wore off, and the old human nodded. Together we took down another Garchomp, rescuing a teenage boy in the process. And so it went, with each person we saved joining us, and our ever-growing group picking off more and more of the Summoned.

Then I heard a piercing cry. Without waiting for the others, I turned in the direction it had come from and broke into a dash, coming upon the scene moments later. A huge Garchomp that had at least two feet on me was standing over a tiny form on the ground, pulling itself to its full height and swaying as it prepared to strike. I let out a roar in order to distract it, charging at the Pokemon as it snarled and turned to face me. As I threw myself at it, I saw the heap on the ground was clothed in a pink dress and covered in dirt and mud...

I blinked at the girl who had been so shocked to see me shoved under the radiator earlier, and it was all the time the Garchomp needed. It took advantage of my lapse in attention, finding its balance before it could fall and slashing a claw at me. I gave a startled cry as it sliced across my right shoulder, opening a deep gouge that bled fiercely. On the ground, the girl whimpered in terror, and I ignored my injury as I leapt at the Garchomp again, driving it back with twin Dragon Claw attacks. Golden energy enveloped my claws as they tore through the air, leaving faint trails of shining energy in their wake. The land-shark deftly avoided the blows as it bellowed at me, and I positioned myself between it and the girl as my shoulder slowly started to mend itself.

"A-are you a g-good De_Mon_?" the young human asked, her voice pitched high in her fear. I glanced back at her, just for a second, and gave as reassuring a smile as I could.

"You're going to owe me an apology AND a thank-you after this," I said, and I could see the child instantly understood the significance of my words.

"You're the Garchomp from before!" she said, and I simply nodded before turning to face the Garchomp before me. It was screaming and shaking something fierce, but it wasn't attacking. I watched it warily, wondering what was going on. It was obvious it wanted to act, but something was holding it back...

Then it turned and tore away, and within seconds it was gone. I waited for a few to make sure it had left, then turned to look at the girl. Confusion was shining in her eyes as she stared after the Garchomp.

"The De_Mon_ who Summoned it must have called it back to them," I explained. "That can't be good. Come on, I'll take you to join some others so you'll be safe, then I need to see if I can't track down the De_Mon_ and stop this." I knelt down and offered a hand-paw to help the girl up, and she stared at my claws for a minute before tentatively grabbing hold and pulling herself to her feet. She then dusted herself off, and without another word we headed back the way I'd come. After making sure the girl was safe with the other humans, I told them I was going to go off and seek out the De_Mon _who had done all of this. They didn't seem to like the idea of me leaving them, but they didn't try to stop me from going.

I wandered, taking care of the stray Garchomp that seemed unsure of what to do. They were now walking around, barely-retrained ferocity dripping from them. They wanted to kill, to maim, to murder, but something was forcing them not to. The one who'd Summoned them must have changed their mind about having a Horde wipe out the city. Maybe they wanted some of the slaying for themselves. Maybe they were trying to take stock of how many Garchomp they'd Summoned. I didn't know, and I honestly didn't care. All that mattered was, for now at least, the Horde wasn't killing any other innocent people.

I soon reached an empty part of town. There was a house burning steadily a few yards ahead of me and to my left, and I assumed this was where the Summoned had first struck. There were all sorts of signs of a rushed evacuation: doors left open, cars still parked in driveways, personal items scattered here and there after being dropped and completely forgotten. There would be nothing to gain from staying here, so I turned and started to head back the way I'd come.

And then it happened.

A deafening BANG sounded out behind me, and a heartbeat later a horrible agony exploded in the same shoulder that had been torn up by the Garchomp. I let out a strangled little shriek as I stumbled and collapsed, barely aware of the blood spurting from the new wound. In fact, I was barely aware of anything, for a fog of pain settled itself firmly around my mind, making it nearly impossible to focus. Distantly, I heard a man's voice say, "Pity, if you hadn't moved, you'd be dead instead of hurting."

The words, the voice. I clung to them and used them to pull myself back to my senses. Gritting my fangs, I pushed the pain away and rolled to my feet-paws, whirling to face whoever had injured me. The sudden movement caused a new flare of hurt to pound through me, but I growled softly and refused to let it incapacitate me.

My attacker was a man, though I could instantly tell he wasn't human. The way he moved, his very essence...I narrowed my eyes as I watched him slowly coming closer. His lean body was draped in a red overcoat, and a wide-brimmed red fedora was set at an angle on his head. Orange sunglasses gleamed in the light of the house fire, and one of his white-gloved hands was extended, a massive gun held at me. Black boots moved soundlessly over the street as he came, a smile growing on his face as a stray wind tousled his short ebony hair.

"Now be good and hold still so I don't have to waste anymore bullets on a piece of trash like you," he said, his voice tinged with disdain. I stumbled back a step as he came to a halt, shifting his weight slightly as he aimed the gun properly. Any second he'd fire another bullet, and I knew this one would find my heart...

"Stop!" I wheezed, ready to throw myself to the ground in case he didn't. "You...are you looking for the De_Mon _who attacked the city?"

"Stupid thing to ask, wouldn't you say?"

"No, because I didn't do it! I can show you a group of humans I've been helping, they can tell you-" I cut myself off suddenly as a weight pressed itself on my mind, probing, searching, prying. I gave a cry and shook my head, unprepared for the abrupt assault, and struggled to build up the mental walls to keep this...being...from seeing into my mind. Shock and pain, though, worked against me, and it was with a great effort that I managed to bring up my shields. And as suddenly as it had descended, the weight was gone. I gasped as I staggered back a few paces, letting the walls drop as I struggled to stay upright.

"Hmmmm, why would you have anything to hide if you're telling the truth?" the other asked, a mocking tone coloring his words. "Really, I hate it when freaks waste my time."

"No," I choked out, coughing weakly, "no...you...I hid m-my mind...you d-d-didn't _ask_...I was surprised..." I finally managed to catch my breath and focused on the man, sagging a little because of the pain from where I'd been shot. I recoiled when I saw how close he was, less than a yard away. "You don't just hop into a De_Mon_'s mind like that...anyways, don't you think, if I were the one that attacked this place, that I would be bringing my Horde and Bound down on you instead of trying to talk my way out of being shot?"

"I would think you know your pathetic little band of warped Pokemon wouldn't get here in time, so you're stalling," the man answered. "If I didn't know any better," he added after a moment before lowering his gun. His smile widened into an insane grin as he looked away. "It would seem I've made a mistake, then. De_Mon_s don't know how to stall, all they know is mindless killing. I could put you out of your misery, though, if you like. That wound looks awfully painful..." As he spoke, another warm breeze blew by, bringing his scent to me for the first time. I scowled as I caught my first whiff of it, then drew a sharp breath as I recoiled once again.

He was a Vampire!

"Why are you hunting down a De_Mon_?" I blurted, bringing the Vampire's attention back to myself. "Why...?" He chuckled a little, then turned away from me without answering my question. He started off in the direction from which I'd come, and after a taking a moment to shove away the pain of my injury, I headed after him. However, I couldn't keep up, and minutes later I was wandering around with no idea of what to do next.

Despite my best efforts to ignore it, the gunshot in my shoulder was raging with pain, with small fingers of it branching out to throb in my back, side, and chest. I came to a stop and reached up with my left hand, hooking it over my shoulder and tentatively feeling around. Even though I was using the faintest touch possible, a new blaze of torment ripped through me as my claw-tips grazed over the wound. I was knocked senseless for a moment, sinking to the ground as I gave a little whine. When I came back to the present, I took a shuddering breath and forced myself to my paw-feet.

My shoulder had been ripped open by the bullet, and I could only assume that my shoulder blade had been shattered. I tried to wiggle the fingers of my right hand, only to find I couldn't even twitch them. I gave a faint moan, the sharp, metallic scent of my blood making me want to sneeze. I held it back though, knowing it would only cause more pain. Instead, I focused on concentrating more energy on my wound. I would worry about the bullet later; at the moment, I needed to close the wound before I lost anymore blood, as I was beginning to feel a bit faint.

It took quite a bit of time, but finally I managed to close up the wound most of the way. There were still small gouges oozing blood, both were the bullet had hit me as well as where the Garchomp had slashed me, but at least I'd healed up enough to not die from blood loss or something. The pain, too, had receded to an annoying but tolerable deep-set throb.

The entire time I was mending my wounds, I kept thinking about the Vampire and why he might be after the De_Mon_ who'd attacked the city. I doubted it had anything to do with the bitter blood, excuse the pun, between our races. Vampires don't have any love for us De_Mon_s, you see, because once we've possessed one Pokemon, we can do it again and again for eternity, if we remain strong enough. We can only possess Pokemon though, after becoming a De_Mon_, but the point is we can keep living. Once a Vampire, or just about any other creature, dies, that's game over for them. Most Vampires, and probably a lot of other races, resent us for our near-perfect immortality. Somehow, though, I knew this Vampire wasn't like that. He was hunting this De_Mon _for some other reason, which I couldn't fathom. The only way to find out would be to track him down and see if I could get him to tell me. Yeah, fat chance there...

I headed off, following the scent of the Vampire and wondering about everything that had happened within the past twenty-four hours. It was only when I heard the blast of that gun again did I realize I'd slipped into a walking stupor, which I was abruptly knocked out of. My head snapped to the left, and there in the distance was the Vampire. On its knees before him was a Garchomp De_Mon_, and I felt a thrill of the utmost revulsion pulse through me. Yeah, I know that there were hundreds, if not thousands, of Garchomp De_Mon_s in the world, but I didn't have to think about sharing the same body as those horrid things if one wasn't in my view.

Like all other De_Mon_s in Pure form, this one was a twisted mockery of what the host had once been. A bloated thing with blackened scales covering its rotund body, it looked like a corpse that had been left to stew in the sun and become horribly distended. Its legs were spindly and jointed like a spider's, and the claws of its feet-paws had split into dozens of long, thin needles. It had no arms; in place of the limbs were huge ten huge spikes, five on each side, and all of them were at least the size of a normal Garchomp arm. Its neck was about twice as long as a real Garchomp's, and set on top was a toad-like head. The torpedo-like projections on the sides of its head had elongated and thickened, becoming sharp horns that shone, no doubt with some kind of venom. Its back fin was missing scales and flesh on one side, revealing some pulsating organ that shuddered and jumped erratically; most likely the thing's heart. Its tail was a covered in raw, angry red sores, all of which were dribbling a thick black fluid. I knew if I got much closer, the scent from that goo would be ten times as bad as a a whole graveyard of unearthed corpses.

Next to the Garchomp De_Mon_ was a Spiritomb, floating around the beast with an air of desperation. It made an eerie moaning noise, and I strode over as the Vampire let fly another bullet. I didn't see where the last one had hit, but this one caught the De_Mon_in the head, turning it into a fountain of blood, brain, and bone. The body convulsed a few times, then fell forward and hit the ground with a wet, heavy thud. Behind it, the Spiritomb gave a ululating howl and jerked back and forth; it was obviously a Bound. Then I started, because there could be no doubt: this was the same Spiritomb from earlier!

I came to a stop a few feet away as the Spiritomb suddenly began to glow a sickly hue of dark maroon. It let out a wild cry, its eyes locking onto the Vampire that had slain its De_Mon_.

=DAMN YOU!= it screeched in a voice that, despite being distorted by rage and grief, was unmistakably male. How a Spiritomb could be either male or female was something I'd always wondered at, but now wasn't the time for such idle thoughts. =BOKA, YOU KILLED BOKA! HIS SPIRIT IS GONE, YOU KILLED HIM, HE'S DEAD!=

"What's that thing going on about?" the Vampire asked, causing me to jump. It was clear he was talking to me, and I felt a shiver work its way down my spine. I had given no signal of my approach, and he had seemed completely occupied with killing the De_Mon_. I cleared my throat and translated the Pokemon's words as the glow around it darkened and expanded. The Vampire didn't seem troubled by the fury the Spiritomb was exuding, though, and I twitched uneasily as I watched him.

"Er, I really think standing there isn't such a good idea," I said. "This Spiritomb is extremely angry, if you haven't noticed. You did just kill the De_Mon _he was Bound to, you know." The Vampire simply smiled a little at my words though, only to get caught full-force in a vicious Ominous Wind attack seconds later. The darkness surrounding the Spiritomb blew outwards, forming a black whirlwind that engulfed the Vampire. I watched, dumbstruck, as the attack shredded his clothes and flesh, sending blood splattering everywhere. After several moments, the attack faded, and the bloody mess that had once been the Vampire fell in a heap to the street.

I blinked, then looked up at the Spiritomb, which had now decided to target me for some reason. I started to back away, in no mood to fight the heartbroken Pokemon, but an absolute darkness fell upon me suddenly. Shocked, I looked around, but it was like I was standing in a void of nothingness. I growled softly, hooking my claws and readying for whatever was coming. A heartbeat later something slammed into me from the right, and something hard struck me forcefully in the ribs. I wheezed as the breath was jarred from my lungs, staggering and twisting to the side as I fought to stay on my feet-paws. After a few moments I found my balance, and the darkness of the Faint Attack lifted to reveal the Spiritomb hovering about a foot away.  
Without hesitating, I whirled to face forward and called upon my Electricity Profession, sending dozens of thick tendrils of crackling, bright blue lightening flying towards the Forbidden Pokemon from my right arm and hand. The wounds on my shoulder sent shards of pain through me as I flung my arm out, but the hurt wasn't so bad that I couldn't push it away. Instead of paying any mind to it, I drew my focus to the electricity I was forging out of the energy of my spirit, weaving the tendrils into a sort of net.

"Electricity Profession, Specialty: Electric Matrix!" I cried, and the glowing blue net of power flared, turning white for a second before returning to its sharp crystalline cerulean. A massive burst of energy coursed through me and down my arm, exploding out of my hand and making the now-pulsing net send hundreds of snaking whips of electricity blasting out. These arched over the Spiritomb and enwrapped him, holding him fast while the main net closed itself slowly around the writhing, screaming Ghost. After he was sealed within the net, I uttered, "Activate."

The Spiritomb let out a horrendous screech when I activated the Electric Matrix, trying to thrash his way free of the Specialty. I grunted a little, because the effort of holding the Ghost was already starting to wear me down. I could feel my wounds opening up again, the strain of my attack ripping the frail, newly-healed flesh. The pain was beginning to turn from a throb to a stabbing pulse, and it wouldn't be long before I'd have to stop the Specialty and take a moment to rest.

At that moment, though, the Spiritomb seemed to come to its senses. His form became misty for a moment, then faded to a barely-visible haze as he became incorporeal. Now that he was no longer physical, he wasn't effected by the Electric Matrix, which I let drop a second later. I narrowed my eyes, wondering how I was supposed to fight a foe that I couldn't touch fang, claw, or attack to. I didn't need to wonder for long; the Spiritomb soon became solid once more, and I supposed it was because remaining immaterial took too much energy to stay like that for long.

I didn't have very long to think about it, though, because a second later the thing's outline wavered. Within the same instant he shot forward, seeming to slip into the shadows of the night, and reappearing a millisecond later. He was less than an inch away, and I had no time to dodge or block the attack before the thing slammed into me, the Keystone to which it was bound cracking against my chest. I let out a little hack and stumbled a few paces away, one hand reaching up to clutch at my aching chest and the other going out before me. My claws began to sizzle with golden light, which grew brighter and brighter until the light had covered my entire paw-hand. Then I jumped forward and slashed at the Spiritomb floating before me, my shimmering talons trailing light like a sparkler.

The Pokemon tried to evade the Dragon Claw, but he was too slow. The attack caught him in what might have been his stomach area, if he'd had an actual body, and sent him flying back. I then crossed my arms in front of my face, focusing the energy in my body and directing it to my arm fins. A moment passed and a faint, silvery gleam started to expand around the fins, rapidly spreading and intensifying. Within three seconds my arm fins were coated in a scintillating sheen of power, and I lunged forward with a short, sharp roar as I ripped my arms down and apart.

The Dragon Rush slashed the Spiritomb, who'd been recovering from my Dragon Claw, across the face, resulting in the thing giving an ear-splitting howl. He shot backwards, his body quaking violently as the Keystone he was bound to jerked back and forth. I was preparing to continue my assault on him when a chill threaded its icy fingers down my spine, causing me to freeze and give a faint gasp. I glanced around, temporarily forgetting about the battle, and tried to spot what had caused the shudder to pass through me. A second late I spotted it, and I was so shocked I swear the back draft of a waving feather could have sent me sprawling.

The bloodied remains of the Vampire were smoking, or something. A thick white haze was rising from his corpse, and an eerie blackness had settled over his body. I blinked, stumbling back a step, feeling my muscles tense beneath my scales. No way, there was no way he could actually have survived that! No way could he be regenerating his shredded, mangled carcass! But it was obvious that was exactly what was happening, because I could see the blood that had spurted from his wounds creeping back to the body, a sight that made another shiver jump through me. Faintly, I was aware of the Spiritomb hovering about a foot away, and I blankly turned to see him riveted by the Vampire's healing. He, too, was apparently shocked beyond reason that his victim was still alive. Well, as alive as a Vampire can be considered to be...

My gaze was drawn back to the body as a soft chuckle drifted from the haze, which was now beginning to clear. The black-coated form slowly pulled itself upright, like liquid pouring upwards. Several moments later, the Vampire was standing before us, his body healed, his old-style outfit mended. His hat was tilted at an angle on his head, and a grin stretched across his face. He twisted his head from side to side, a loud pop emanating from his neck as he did. I blinked again; he was acting like he'd done nothing more than wake up from a good nap.

"How irritating," he said, giving another chuckle. "I wasn't expecting to have to deal with some broken wretch of a Pokemon too, and a Ghost, no less. Ah well, maybe I can get a bit of fun out of this, instead of another heap of disappointment." As he spoke, one glove-clad hand reached up, two fingers gripped the bridge of the sunglasses. The Vampire then pulled them away and let them drop carelessly to the ground, revealing eyes of the darkest crimson. He wasn't even looking at me and I could feel the power his gaze held. I took a slow breath and held it in for a second, trying to calm my jangled nerves. This night was becoming crazier and crazier...

"This isn't your fight anymore, girl," he said, snapping me back to attention. I shook my head a bit and focused on him, unnerved to see him staring at me. "You've taken a beating, isn't time for you to crawl away and lick your wounds?"

"Don't try and make me out to be weak!" I snapped, anger flaring in me. "I came to this city for a reason, and I'm not going to slink away no matter what you think! Anyways, you still haven't answered my question about why you would bother tracking down a De_Mon_. If it has anything to do with the Vampiric Pokemon, then I want to know. Besides, this Spiritomb is stronger than he-"

Before I could finish, I heard the sound of paws slapping the concrete behind me. I saw the Vampire's left eyebrow arch a little and began to turn, certain that some huge Pokemon would be looming over me and spewing doom. Much to my surprise, I caught the form of a little yellow blur hurtling at me, colliding with my side a heartbeat later and sending me crashing to the ground. I landed hard on my wounded shoulder, biting back a cry as pain exploded through me. I pushed it aside and rolled to my feet-paws, crouching as I sought my attacker.

I found it a moment in a most surprising form: a Psyduck! The little yellow duck was glaring at me with burning red eyes, its cream bill gaping open as it breathed hard and made little growling noises. The black feathers on its head were ruffled, a clear sign of not just agitation, but senseless fury, though you didn't have to see the Pokemon to know how mad it was. Rage crashed from it in waves so strong even a human would have sensed them.

The Pokemon gave another mindless shriek as it sucked in a breath, disgorging a huge bullet of crystal-blue water an instant later. I jumped to the side, avoiding the Hydro Pump, then heard an explosion behind me. Startled, I turned to see that the Vampire's left arm had...mutated, you could say, into some huge black dog-like thing. Red eyes ran all over his arm, or maybe I should say its body...either way, a side of its head was missing, an injury obviously inflicted by the Spiritomb that had re-engaged the short battle from earlier.

There was no time for that, though, because I heard a little screech from the Psyduck and whirled just in time to see it charging at me. I reacted quickly, slashing my good arm at it and sending calling upon my Electricity Profession again.

"Electricity Profession, Specialty: Electrocution Barrier!" I hissed, and bright orange threads of power sparked from my claw-tips. They then wove themselves into a magnificent glowing field of electricity at a blinding rate. "Activate!" I completed the Specialty just in time; the Psyduck slammed into it and howled as unnatural electricity pounded through it. After several moments it was thrown to the ground, where it lay stunned, and I dropped the Electrocution Barrier with a heavy sigh. I was running dangerously low on energy, and I wouldn't be able to hold my Hybrid form for much longer, let alone power my Professions. This battle needed to end, and end quickly.

"All right pal, this is what's gonna happen," I panted at the Pokemon as it struggled to its webbed paws, "I'm gonna fight you and then I'm gonna Bind you, because I don't feel like killing anything else now. There's been too much death tonight..." While I had a moment, I turned to the Vampire and the Spiritomb, who were having some strange shadow-duel or something, and called, "Hey, don't kill that thing, I'm gonna Bind it, got it?" Of course, I received no answer, but it wasn't like I'd honestly been expecting one.

I gave a little huff and faced my foe, who had gained its feet by now and was giving me such a vicious look that I felt my heart flutter. Then it opened its bill wide, and I saw the possibly the most shocking thing of the past twenty-four hours. Two huge, white fangs dropped from its top bill, and I realized that I was fighting one of the Vampiric Pokemon I'd been searching for!

=NNNNNAAGGGGGGGGHHHHHHH!= it screamed, stomping one of its feet and flailing its arms around madly. Its eyes flared brightly for a moment, and a purple glow began to grow around it. Within seconds, it had engulfed the duck so much it was barely visible, and I took a step back. Before I could do much else, the Psyduck slashed its right paw at me, sending a thick vine of the purple energy flying at me. It wrapped around my injured arm and jerked me into the air, earning a harsh cry of pain from me as my shoulder was wrenched about. As I was lifted higher, the energy flowed up the cord connecting me to the Pokemon and started covering me, leaving a cold, painful sensation where it touched.

I thrashed against the Confusion, but there was no breaking free. After a moment the mental energy had washed over me completely, and I felt a horrible senselessness befall me. I couldn't tell what was going on, couldn't think properly. I was so befuddled I could scarcely remember how I had got like this. With a massive effort, though, I remembered I was in a battle and currently at the mercy of a crazy vampirized Psyduck. I grunted weakly and stared struggling, trying to get free, but felt myself released in the next instant. I fell to the ground, landing on my good shoulder this time, and staggered to my feet as quickly as my baffled mind would let me.

Before I had a chance to collect my senses and try to break out of my confusion, I felt a hard blow to my gut. I gasped and stumbled back, clapping my arms over my stomach and doubling over as the wind was once again knocked from me. The attack helped me snap out of my confusion, though, and as I coughed and wheezed I looked up to see the Psyduck land on its rear. Apparently it had just used a Zen Headbutt on me, because it was wailing and clutching at its head; that last attack must have caused its headache to worsen. I took advantage of this and jumped at it, swinging my upper body down and opening my jaws, then chomping down on the Pokemon's head in a Crunch move. I lifted it into the air as it let out keening cry, shaking it back and forth before tossing it to the ground. It hit with a dull thump, bounced once, and then lay still.

I wasn't taking any chances though. I jumped back and sucked in a deep breath, focusing the energy within me. I then opened my jaws wide as the energy began to gather behind my fangs in a sparkling orange orb. Several seconds later I snapped my head down, firing the prepared Hyper Beam and watching it hit the Psyduck smack-dab a moment later. The little duck made a strangled noise as it was struck by the move and sent flying. When it landed again it grunted weakly, but made no effort to stand.

I inhaled deeply as I took a moment to recharge from the powerful move I'd just let loose, stretching a little and quickly checking my energy level. Low, very low, and I still had to Bind the Psyduck as well as finish weakening the Spiritomb enough to Bind it, too. I groaned softly; I was going to be sore and tired for days after this night, but the knowledge of what I would gain helped keep me going.

After recovering, I trudged over to where the Psyduck was laying and knelt beside it, reaching out to place my left hand-paw on its back. Then I forced a little rope of energy down my arm, out of my hand, and through the Psyduck's back. My eyes slid shut as I worked, and instantly a sort of vision come to me. I could see the Psyduck's internal workings, the highways of veins, the structure of the skeleton, everything. I followed a particularly large vein until I became aware of a sickly, pulsing essence that was the Pokemon's spirit.

I recoiled from it at first, because the wrongness of it was so horrible I almost felt physically sick. The Psyduck's spirit shouldn't have been this ill-looking purple, shot through with dark yellow threads of corruption that brought to mind an oozing, infected wound. It should have been a gentle white, with the faint blue of the duck's element woven around it.

I didn't want to touch my energy to that darkness, end of story. There was no way around it, however. If worse came to worse, I could always put the poor thing out of its misery, if I couldn't do anything for it after Binding it. After taking a moment to steel myself, I pushed forward and started wrapping my energy around the Psyduck's tainted soul. The sensation of it was terrible, like my body wanted was trying to turn itself inside out. Beneath my hand-paw, the Psyduck started trembling and whimpering. I wondered if maybe the process of Binding it was causing it pain, then sighed and drew my awareness away from it. My eyes opened as my energy continued to Bind the Psyduck on its own. Now that the process had been started, only a few things could interrupt it. Unfortunately, one of those things could possibly be about to happen, and that was that I might not have enough energy left to spare for Binding. Ah well, I'd find out soon enough.

I pulled away from the Pokemon and stood, feeling horribly tired as I did. The last thing I wanted to do was jump back into battle, but there was no chance I was going back down now. If I could Bind the Psyduck and the Spiritomb, I might be able to get information otherwise unavailable to me. The Psyduck could tell me how it had become Vampiric, the Spiritomb could inform me why his De_Mon _had called off his Horde earlier. The latter might not have been very important, but some deep instinct told me to find out anyways.

I turned to the battle being fought between the Spiritomb and the Vampire, rubbing my hand-paws together and preparing myself. Then I nodded once and tilted my head back, inhaling as deeply as I could. Once my lungs were full, I pulled in my gut, squeezing a special sac located above my intestines and sending a jet of chemicals shooting into my lungs via a long, slender tube. As soon as the chemicals and the air combined, the oxygen combusted and I snapped my head down, spewing a massive Flamethrower attack. The brilliant orange flames ate up the distance between myself and the Spiritomb within seconds, washing over it and wretching a cry from him.

I tore forward, ignoring the Vampire as he turned to face me with a scowl. I didn't care if he was angry with my taking his battle, there were more important things to worry about. I jumped as the blaze of the Flamethrower extinguished itself, revealing a stunned and vulnerable Spiritomb. My leap carried me over the Pokemon, and when I was directly above it, I flipped myself upside down and grabbed the top of its whirling mass in my jaws. It was the strangest feeling, like I had taken a big bite of cotton candy that was melting and staying firm at the same time.

After snatching the Pokemon, I flipped backwards so I was right-side up. When I landed the next moment, I used the momentum from the leap to throw the Ghost into a nearby tree. It hit hard, the Keystone cracking loudly against the tall plant's truck, and let out a little groan as it slowly started to sink to the ground. But the thing really was stronger than he looked, because he let out a snarl and lifted, quite suddenly, into the air. He cackled madly, spiraling about like a violet arrow, then screamed in sadistic pleasure. I winced from the sound and knew what it meant; the Spiritomb had just conceived a Nasty Plot, and was now preparing to fulfill it.

I crossed my arms in front of my face, determined to end this attack before the Ghost could unleash its fury on me, but he remembered the pose from the last time I'd used my Dragon Rush. He shot up higher into the air, out of my range, and laughed maniacally as he floated back and forth. I growled softly, deciding to try another Flamethrower, but I didn't get the chance to do anything. A rush of darkness flew by me, making my mane blow all over the place from the backwind. I yelped and jumped to the left, looking back to see that the Vampire's arm had once again warped into some eye-covered thing. A twisted smile sat on his face as he looked up, and I did as well to find the Spiritomb caught in the freakishly large jaws of what had once been an hand. The Spiritomb screeched as he was then dragged back down, and within a minute he was back in my range of attack. I had no time to use one, though, because the air around the thing began pulsing and weaving, making it look like a miniature heat wave had generated around him. It wasn't heat that caused the disturbance, though, but a ripple of darkness that snapped to life before the Forbidden Pokemon. The air shuddered more and more as the pulsating darkness grew darker and larger, and suddenly it exploded out in a wicked Dark Pulse.

The jaws holding the Spiritomb down were disintegrated by the power of the attack, which had obviously been the Nasty Plot he had come up with earlier, and knocked me back several feet. I toppled to the ground, stunned and hurting all over, and heard the Spiritomb giggle in awful triumph. I made a sound somewhere between a growl and a groan, then pushed myself unsteadily to my feet-paws.

=Dead, dead, dead, dead, dead, dead, soon you'll be dead, dead like poor Boka, dead, dead, dead, dead...= the Pokemon was saying in a crazed, sing-song voice. It was unsettling, the way his voice rose and fell as he repeated the word "dead," then become monotonous and bland when he said everything else. I shivered and glanced around for a moment, looking for the Vampire. He was standing about a foot away, having been far away enough to avoid the brunt of the Dark Pulse. His arm was back to normal, other than looking a bit ripped up, and when he noticed me looking at him he chuckled a little.

"Your friend's got some strength in it," he said, holding up his hand and flexing his fingers. "Must be at a high level, or pumped up on vitamins. I've never had this kind of trouble from a Pokemon, not even a Ghost." He laughed, louder this time, and turned his gaze to the Spiritomb, who had apparently become enthralled by his own song about the impending death the Vampire and I faced. I scowled at the Pokemon, then felt a jolt course through me. I gasped in surprise, then clenched my jaws and took a deep breath. I had five, maybe six or seven minutes, to finish this battle and Bind the Spiritomb, not to mention finish Binding the Psyduck. After that time my energy would be completely spent, and as experience had taught me in the past, I would end up unconscious from the thorough drain.

As the Spiritomb continued singing, I once again sucked in a large amount of air, injecting the chemical mixture from my acid-sac into my lungs and combusting the oxygen. Instead of automatically releasing the fire as a Flamethrower, though, I forced another squirt of chemicals into the flames. The effect was instantaneous: my jaws were forced open as a massive conflagration rocketed up and out of my throat, splitting itself into the shape of a five-pointed star. The body of the attack, where the five arms connected, slammed into the shocked Spiritomb, and the arms of the Fire Blast enveloped him as the attack collapsed into a giant orb of brilliant red flames.

From within the vortex I heard the Spiritomb screaming, and every so often a black flare would skewer through the large blazing sphere as he tried to break free. None of his efforts paid off, though, and the attack petered out on its own about a minute later. As the last tongues of the Fire Blast were blown out by a stray breeze, I watched the Spiritomb that had been entrapped within them sink to the ground, its eyes half-shut in pain and fatigue. When I walked over and knelt before him, his eyes cracked open a bit more before narrowing to slits.

=My Boka...= he muttered, =he's gone, I'm alone again...=

"No, no," I said softly, slowly placing a hand-paw on his Keystone. "You're not alone. Your De_Mon _is dead, yes, but that doesn't mean you have to be alone."

=It hurts,= the Ghost whispered in response, surprising me. =My spirit hurts, the place where he was is empty now...= I remained silent, not knowing what to say. I had never made any Bound of my own in the past, hating the idea of taking away a Pokemon's choices by making it into a blindly loyal slave. I only knew of how a Pokemon's spirit looks from descriptions I'd heard over the years, not from actually seeing one. I'd never heard anything, though, of what it was like for a Bound to lose their De_Mon_, at least not like this. I knew they were always filled with rage and grief when their De_Mon _truly died, but I didn't know they felt a physical pain as well.

"Well, it won't be empty for long," I said after a moment's silence. "I'll make you into my Bound, and you won't have to be alone or hurt anymore." At my words, the Spiritomb seemed to sag slightly. It was as if he had been thinking about trying to continue fighting, but had changed his mind with the promise of not "being alone." His eyes opened fully as he stared at me, and I nodded gently as I closed my eyes and once again forced a bit of my energy from my body and into another's.

It was different this time, though. I found myself seeing the nooks and cracks and tiny bits of material that made up the Keystone to which the Spiritomb was bound. A feeling of being steady and infinitely patient washed over me, and I felt the pain from the battles and strains of the night fading, as if I were becoming hard, unfeeling stone myself. I lingered for a moment, enjoying the sensations, then forced myself to focus on the task at hand.

I pressed forward until I came to the Spiritomb himself. It was a somewhat unbalancing transition to go from ancient stillness to whirling existence as suddenly as I did, and the shock of it almost made me lose my concentration. I managed to draw my focus back, though, marveling at how different the Ghost's essence was from the Psyduck's.

He had no body, so I didn't see any of the internal workings like I had with the duck. Instead of veins and bones and such, I saw millions of pulsing lights that seemed to have some strange pattern to their trembling. Here was a tight ball of several bright purple lights, thumping in a rhythm that reminded me of a heart. Everywhere I looked were long strings of soft blue light, seeming to flow like blood through a vein. It was as if I were looking at ethereal organs, the insubstantial body systems of a creature with no real body.

I oriented myself on one of the larger light-flows, following its curving, twisting path until I came to the Pokemon's spirit. It was strange, because there were faint cracks in the gentle white soul, as if it had been split into many different pieces. All of these were connected with the tiniest threads of black and deep-maroon, the colors of the Spiritomb's types. After a brief moment of being puzzled, I remembered that Spiritomb were created by the combining of many different spirits, all of which were held together by the Keystone.

I centered myself for a long moment, knowing it would be harder to Bind a Pokemon who's spirit was whole, yet divided. I split the energy within the Spiritomb's body into dozens of barely-there cords and set to threading them about each piece individually. After that had been done, I sent another wash of energy to wrap around the entire spirit. I didn't know if the former had been needed, but I didn't want to take the chance of somehow leaving a part of the Spiritomb un-Bound. I had no idea if that was possible, but I was in no shape or mood to find out.

After all that was done, I pulled my awareness from the Spiritomb and collapsed back onto my butt, terribly sore and tired. I only had a few scant moments left before my last dregs of energy fled me, but I was determined to stay conscious long enough to see whether or not I'd managed to Bind either of the two Pokemon I'd fought. My wary gaze bounced back and forth between the Psyduck and the Spiritomb, and, for the moment, at least, I forgot about the Vampire as I anxiously waited for what would come next...


	3. Order Two: Of Vampires and Missions

**A/N: **Yay, definitions! The definitions for new terms will be posted at the beginning of the chapter following the one the terms appeared in, like I'm doing here.

* * *

**De**_**Mon**_- a Demon who has had their physical body killed and possessed a Pokemon's body. It is a combination of the words Demon and Pokemon, and is pronounced "dee-mahn," with emphasis on the "dee."

**Profession**- an element a Demon/De_Mon _is/has learning/learned to control/create

**Host**- the body a De_Mon _possesses

**Assume**- to take a certain form

**Hold**- to remain in a certain form

**Bound**- Pokemon who have been bound to a De_Mon_'s spirit

**Bind**- the act of making a Pokemon Bound

**Summoned**- Pokemon of the De_Mon_'s host's species who have been drawn to the De_Mon_, and who are driven mad in the process

**Horde**- a group of Summoned Pokemon

**Possess**- When a Demon possesses a living creature, that creature's soul is forced from its body (which becomes the host). This "kills" the creature and allows the Demon's spirit to assimilate with the body, which then revives and mutates in order to accommodate the Demon

**Normal Demons**- The majority of Demons; they can be vicious and evil to completely indifferent, depending on their moods, and have no care for others except themselves

**Benign Demons**- The minority of Demons; they are kind, caring, gentle Demons who care greatly for the well-being of others, and have strong bonds with family and friends

* * *

**_Last time in Monsters of the Machine..._**

A Garchomp De_Mon_ has been investigating cases of Vampiric Pokemon, which have been appearing in numerous places the past few weeks. After a fight with another De_Mon_, she went to a large city in order to rest and continue her search for information.

However, the next night she's thrust into battle once again. Another Garchomp De_Mon_ appears in the city, bringing a Horde with him and setting them on the humans. After some intense fighting, the Horde is called off, and our heroine goes off in order to find the other De_Mon_and destroy it.

She gets more than she bargained for when she runs into a Vampire, who is also looking for the other De_Mon_. In a case of mistaken identity, she ends up getting shot before the Vampire leaves to find his target. Our De_Mon _follows, finding the Vampire again just in time to see him kill his target.

Afterwards, the De_Mon_'s lone Bound, a Spiritomb, attacks the Vampire out of grief, reducing him to a gory heap in the street. He then turns on our De_Mon_, but not for long as the Vampire soon regenerates and engages the Ghost in battle. In the meantime, our hurt and tired heroine is attacked out of the blue by a Vampiric Psyduck!

After a short battle, she starts Binding the duck and goes to finish weakening the Spiritomb in order to Bind it as well, knowing the two Pokemon might have information she can use. The battle with the Spiritomb is long and rough, even with the occasional help from the strange Vampire, but eventually our De_Mon _wears him down enough to being Binding him as well. Several seconds later, the two have become her Bound.

And now, chapter two of Monsters of the Machine...

* * *

_**+Order Two: Of Vampires and Missions+**_

_"Complicating, circulating_  
_New life, new life_  
_Operating, generating_  
_New life, new life..."_

The moments ticked away, drawing out into eternity as I struggled to stay aware of things through my haze of pain and fatigue. However, a faint rush that zapped through my very being jolted me out of the fog, and I jerked my head back and forth sharply between the Psyduck and the Spiritomb. I'd never felt it before, but instinctively I knew exactly what it meant. One of the Pokemon had just been Bound, and another rush the next second told me the other had been as well. I sighed softly in relief, then felt a horrible stab rip through me.

Time up.

I shuddered for a moment, blinking when the Spiritomb gave a soft sort of cry, then collapsed forward as darkness enshrouded me and I fell into unconsciousness. Annoying, yes, but at least I didn't have to be aware of the fact I had reverted to my Pure form now.

However, something strange happened after I passed out. One moment it was like being in a deep, dreamless sleep, and the next I was floating in a black void with the forms of the Psyduck and the Spiritomb in front of me. Seriously weird...

"Eh..." I muttered, glancing about. "What's...going on?"

=You don't know?= the Spiritomb asked, looking at me as if I had just said the most idiotic thing for someone to ever say. Then I thought about it and decided it was a pretty damn stupid thing to say, for a De_Mon _at least.

"Well...yes, er, no, eh..."

=You've never had any Bound before now?=

"No, I haven't," I said irritably. "I never liked the idea of making slaves out of Pokemon."

=Ah, well, now that our spirits are all nice and interlinked and all, we have the nifty ability to speak with you whenever you're not awake. It's not a mental experience or a dream or anything; it's more like our souls resonating with one another. It's hard to explain,= the Spiritomb replied, floating in a lazy circle. I nodded a few times and then glanced at the Psyduck, who was looking slightly dazed.

"How are you?" I asked it, and when it spoke I was surprised to hear the subtle intonations of a female.

=I feel...better...= she answered, her voice soft. She looked around, a far-away expression glazing her eyes. =Before, I felt terrible. I was so angry and...and...= A visible shiver worked its way from her head to her webbed toes, and she absently reached up to grab at her head in the way Psyduck are known for doing. A haunted look replaced the stunned one as she looked directly at me, her eyes a beautiful shade of deep cyan. =There was a thirst. Like I had run for miles and miles through a scorching desert, and found a lake, but the lake was tainted and poisonous, so it was the best and worst thing ever. And the only way to make the thirst go away would be to do something horrible, to drink that wonderful, horrible water...=

"Wait, you mean you don't feel that way now?"

=No. I...I think I've been cured...before, even when I was asleep I felt that awful thirst, but I don't now. It could be because this is different than being asleep, but I don't think so. I think I'm better, that maybe somehow you made me better.=

"But...but how I could un-vampirize you? All I did was Bind you-"

=That was it,= the Spiritomb cut in, and I turned my gaze to him.

"What?"

=Binding her. That was all you needed to do in order to cure her.=

"How do you know that?" I asked, and if I had actually been awake and everything, my heart would have started thumping faster. "What all do you know about the Vampiric Pokemon?"

=I only knew that, because that's all Boka ever told me. He never mentioned anything else about them after that. He said that all it would take to make a Pokemon not be a Vampire anymore was to simply Bind it. He never said how it worked, either,= the Ghost added before I could ask. That was okay, though. I now knew something I would have may have never guessed.

"And can you tell me how who or whatever made you Vampiric did it?" I asked the Psyduck. She blinked a few times as she thought, then shook her head.

=Not really. I don't remember much, but I remember big things. Like...I remember being kept in a little cage for a long time. I also remember being jabbed with a needle a while back, and then I got really sleepy and confused. They did some things that hurt bad, though I don't remember anything about what they did, sorry, but I do remember that the back of my head had hurt the most when they were doing whatever it was they were doing.=

"Huh. I don't suppose you remember who "they" were?"

=People who had the thirst,= she responded simply, and for a moment I couldn't think straight, I was so shocked.

"You mean Vampires did it?!" I blurted a moment later, and the little yellow duck shrugged as she dropped her arms to her sides.

=Yes, it must have been. They felt wrong, you know, I could sense it, and I felt like that after they did all those painful things to me. It was strange and awful, to be aware of how unnatural I was.=

"Well, at least you're better now," I said, rubbing my hand-paws together and going over everything I'd just learned. Vampires were behind the making of the Vampiric Pokemon, and Binding them could, somehow, cure them of that condition. I tried to think of why Vampires would bother with such a thing, but couldn't come up with anything that made very much sense.

=The Vampire is coming towards me!= the Psyduck piped suddenly, and I scowled a little as I focused on her.

"How do you know that?"

=Our spirits are communing, but that doesn't mean we aren't still active and aware. In fact, our bodies are being active and aware this very second. The spirit does all sorts of things while the body is engaged in everyday things. The two are sort of independent of one another, yet dependent. It's difficult to put into words,= the Spiritomb said. I pondered it for a moment, then shrugged.

"So basically you're here and there at the same time?"

=There is no "here" and "there," actually. You're unconscious, our spirits are speaking, and I suppose the closest comparison is your mind is making it like a dream so it's easier for you to understand. Eventually, you won't need this visual interference. Eventually, we'll speak with just our spirits.=

"Er...okay then..."

=He's studying me,= the Psyduck said, sounding tense. I made to move towards her before remembering I was floating in a black abyss, but much to my surprise I moved without moving. It was weird, one moment I was several feet from her, the next I was standing, er, floating, whatever...right in front of her.

"Most likely he realized you were Vampiric before I did, and now that you're not, he's trying to figure it out," I answered, trying to sound as reassuring as possible. After what had been done to her by Vampires, the poor Psyduck had a good reason to be scared of them. The little Pokemon looked up at me, fear in her eyes, and I knelt to put a hand on her head. "Hey, do you think you can maybe get him to understand that I helped cure you?"

=Maybe,= the Psyduck muttered, and I nodded as she suddenly went still. I watched for a moment, then started to grow worried. Seconds clicked by and she neither moved nor spoke; she didn't even blink.

=She's fine, it's just that what she's doing is taking all of her concentration,= the Spiritomb said as he floated over, seemingly having no trouble maneuvering in this strange dream-place. He must have sensed my worry for the duck, or maybe I was giving off some spirit vibes or something, for him to have so accurately picked up on how troubled I was.. =There are times when the spirit and body must function on the same level, such as when one is doing something while being afraid.=

"I suppose she must be pretty darn scared," I replied as I stood, my wings twitching as I rubbed my arms. "If I were her and had done to me what she did, I'd be scared too."

=The true mark of courage lies in being afraid yet carrying forward,= the Spiritomb said sagely. I nodded absently as I watched the Psyduck, waiting for her to begin moving again. After a moment the Spiritomb fell still in the same eerie manner, and I figured he was doing something that required all his attention as well.

Several seconds later, though, both of them snapped into movement with sharp hisses of agitation; the Psyduck stamped a webbed foot as the Spiritomb zipped back and forth crazily. I jerked back in surprise, wary and uncertain of what to do. What the heck was making these two act nuts like this?

=Oh, that was RUDE!= the Psyduck said, her voice brimming with ire. =He could have done that much more gently, given your current state!=

"Done...what, exactly? What's going on?"

=We got the Vampire to realize that you made me better, or at the very least, that you helped make me better, and then-=

=He picked you up and threw you over one of his shoulder!= the Spiritomb cut in angrily. =He's carrying you off! Tell us what to do, give us the order to attack him, to show him he can't treat our De_Mon _so callously!=

"Aah, no, wait!" I yelped, lifting my hand-paws and shaking my head. "He's after information about the Vampiric Pokemon too, I knew it...er, anyways, he's probably just taking me back to wherever he's staying so I can tell him what happened when I wake up. And if I tell him what I know, then hopefully he'll tell me what he knows."

=How long do you suppose it'll take for you come to?= the Psyduck asked, and I shrugged as I folded my legs beneath myself, taking a sort of sitting position.

"Well, I thoroughly drained myself tonight, which is something I've only done two or three times in the past. Based on those experiences, I'd say it'll probably be at least five or so hours before I regain enough energy to come around. But hey, until then, we can start getting to know one another!" I smiled a little, looking back and forth between the two Pokemon. "I think the obvious place to start is our names. I'm Nilazcion. But my little brother can't pronounce my full name, so he calls me Nee. That's what everyone calls me really, after a while, since my full name is a pain to say all the time." I turned to the Spiritomb, who ceased his irritated zooming and settled for a mildly irked weaving motion.

=I am Mukakariasa, though my name was shortened as well. My previous De_Mon_ called me Musa.= As he spoke, I was aware of the twinge of grief in his words. It would be a while, I supposed, until the Ghost came to terms with the death of his old De_Mon_.

=I don't...I don't remember my name...= the Psyduck said softly when Musa and I turned to her. =Those things they did...after a while, I just kind of gave up on remembering happy stuff like my name. It was too painful, you know, here,= as she spoke, she pressed a paw over her heart, =to think about good things when all that bad stuff was being done. It made me miss it so much...so I just stopped remembering, to make the pain go away some. But there was one thing I could never forget, not ever, and that was my Momma's name. She was called Zaphaina.=

"Zaphaina...the Kaalith word for 'blue,' right?"

=Uh-huh,= the little duck replied with a nod. In case you're wondering, Kaalith is one of the sub-categories of the Pokemon language. Yes, they have different languages, just like humans. The Kaalith language is to Pokemon what English is to you humans, in that it's the general and most popular one.

"Well, how about we call you Phaina? Your name will be a pretty way of saying 'hue,'" I suggested. 'Phaina' was the root of 'zaphaina,' and basically meant 'color.' The 'za' part was what gave the word it's real meaning, as it had the surprisingly complicated meaning of 'red and green as one.'

=Ooh, I like it!= the duck said joyfully, clapping her paws together.

"And if the time should come that you remember your proper name, be sure to let us know."

=I think I like Phaina more than my old name,= Phaina replied. =And there's a lot of pain and hurt that are with the old one. Now I have a new name to match my fresh start on living!= Again, she clapped her paws together and let out a happy little quack, at which I couldn't resist giggling at. It was cute, actually, even though I wasn't the type who normally fell for the cute stuff.

=Nee, it's clear you are not of the normal De_Mon_ population,= Musa stated a few seconds later. I gave him a look, lifting an eye at being called "not normal." =Ah, I should explain. Of all the De_Mon_ I have ever met, Boka included, none have been like you. You are different. You are kind, caring. You hold your Hybrid form instead of your Pure one. You have no Bound except us, have never had any before us. I think I can safely assume you'd be disgusted with the thought of ever having to Summon. And you just spoke of your little brother as though you are still part of your old Clan. Why are you like this? Why are you so different from other De_Mon_?=

"Oh, that's what you mean. Well, it's simple really. See, I'm Benign," I replied. "When I was a Demon, I belonged to the Shatoki-Mino Clan."

=What's Shatoki-Mino mean?= Phaina asked.

"It's DemonTongue for "Fate Claw." So I was a part of the Clan of Fate Claw. And even though I'm not related to my brother or any of the others in my Clan now, they still consider me a part of it. We're family in spirit, if nothing else."

=Benign De_Mon_s don't make it a habit to kill, for the most part,= Musa commented. =I've heard that a felled Benign De_Mon_ will let its soul simply vanish, instead of killing an innocent being in order to continue existing. How is it you became a De_Mon_?=

"Ah, that," I said softly, my memory doing a hyper backpedal to when I was still a Demon, back to when I died for the first time. I chuckled distantly and rubbed my arms, absently aware of the goose bumps that had arisen from the memory. "Well, about ten years ago the Shatoki-Mino got into an all-out war with a Clan of Normal De_Mon_s, you know, the ones who are pretty much the opposite of us Benign creatures.

"Anyways, we had been having a lot of problems with this Clan for years. They wanted the land we controlled, because there was what they called "good hunting" to be found there. What they meant, of course, was that there were a lot of human families that lived within our territory, families they could use as sport or food." I growled a little at that, then shook my head and continued.

"Benign De_Mon_s don't like fighting and hate to kill, but aren't naive or stupid. When it's time to defend the Clan, to defend your values and beliefs and what's right, then you can't let a petty think like a dislike of fighting hold you back. So we threw ourselves into the fight, trying to slay all the De_Mon_s before they could slay us.

"I was fighting three of them when I got distracted. Some of the Pokemon my Clan had befriended were protecting my brother and some of the other young Demons, and my brother got scared about something and screamed. I looked over to see what was wrong and had a pair of six-inch claws shoved through my heart." I shuddered a little as the phantom pain of the memory pulsed through me for a moment. "I died a few seconds later, and luckily I was strong enough to remain in spiritual form and head off to look for a suitable body.

"Of course, I wasn't going to kill some innocent being. Even possessing a squirrel or a bird would have been wrong; I hated the idea of murdering some poor animal or person just to keep on living. Instead, I was searching for someone who deserved to die, a criminal of some kind or something. Instead, I came upon an old, wounded Garchomp.

"She'd been in a battle of her own and terribly injured. Her chest was ripped to shreds, her throat torn up, her sides and stomach slashed to hell and back. She was dying and in a great deal of pain, so I decided I'd put an end to her suffering for her. There was no way I could move on and simply leave her in such a horrid condition...

"And that's how I became a De_Mon_. I did it to end my host's pain, and at the same time I managed to ensure my own existence. And after I rested up, I went back to help finish the De_Mon_s who'd attacked the Clan. My brother was so shocked when he saw me." I smiled faintly. "And Father got this funny look and asked when I kicked the bucket, and said it would be funny for me to go to my own funeral. Mom smacked him for it. All together, we only lost one member of the Clan that night."

=Do you still go to see them?= Phaina asked, and I nodded as I focused on her.

"Yeah, every now and then I go around to spend some time with them and catch up."

=We're approaching a limo,= Musa interjected, and both Phaina and I turned to face him. =And there's another car a few feet away from it.=

=They're both black,= Phaina added, almost as if wanting to show she could provide me with information just as well as the Spiritomb could. =And now one of the back windows is going down, and the Vampire is going to it.=

=There's a young woman,= Musa continued. =She's in her mid twenties or so, not much older, platinum hair, blue eyes...she's dressed in a man's tuxedo, from what I can tell. I really can't make out anything else, I don't want to get too close and cause any alarm.=

=Ooh, they're talking now!= Phaina chirped. =The woman is asking why the Vampire thought he should bring the De_Mon _along after dispatching it.=

=And he's replying that this is a different De_Mon_. He's explaining what happened from the time he met you.= The Ghost became silent for a moment, then said, =And now he's just said how Phaina was Vampiric before you started fighting her, but after you finished fighting me, she wasn't.=

=The woman's telling him take you with him in the car,= Phaina now supplied. =She says she wants you to get looked at by some doctor and then when you wake up she wants to see you.=

=The window's going up and the Vampire is walking to the car now. The limo is driving off, but the Vampire doesn't seem to notice. He's opening a backdoor and putting you on the backseat,= Musa told me. =There's a man in the driver's seat, young, with a black patch over one of his eyes. He's looking at you like you might wake up and rip him to pieces.=

=The Vampire is telling him that you're coming back to the mansion with them, and to quit wasting time by staring at you and get a move on,= Phaina commented, smiling a little. =And we're getting in now, and he is too.=

"Huh, so we're going to a mansion, are we? Hmmmm..." I pondered about what my Bound had told me, about what it meant. "Hey, that woman, the Vampire was talking to, what was she?"

=Eh...you mean like, what race or something?= Phaina asked, and I nodded.

=Human,= Musa said simply. =Why?=

"Why would a Vampire be taking orders from a human? I thought he was doing all this on his own accord, but now it looks like he's searching for the same information as I am for the sake of a human."

=Nee, haven't you ever heard of the organization that dispatches Vampires and other so-called "supernatural" threats? The one that, ironically, employs two Vampires for that very job?= Musa asked, and I stared at him for a long moment before I could speak.

"Wai...wait a minute here...are you trying to say that woman is the leader of Hellsing...that the Vampire...no. No. That's ridiculous. There's no way it's possible. Of all the things that would happen to me, running into Hellsing and their pet Alucard would have to be the one least likely!"

=How many other organizations do you know of in Great Britain that use Vampires?= Musa inquired. =And do you think a Vampire of his strength would be taking commands from a human if he weren't serving them? Honestly, do you think ANY Vampire would?=

"But it's just so crazy!" I argued. Behind me, my wings fluttered anxiously as I rubbed my arms. "Just my luck, though, to end up in this kind of situation."

=Consider the pros of it: you want information about the Vampiric Pokemon, right? Who better than Hellsing to help you obtain it? You should look at this as an opportunity, not a hassle.=

"Meh, good point, I guess," I responded, feeling my optimism level go up a bit. The Ghost was right, after all. Hellsing was the big bad wolf all the "so-called supernatural" beings were afraid of, in Great Britain anyways. Vampires, De_Mon_s, and others whispered tales of how the organization ruthlessly went after any trouble-causers on British soil, and even those in other countries. They wove chilling stories of the mighty Alucard, possibly the most powerful Vampire in existence, who served the Hellsing Organization. His power, his strength, his heartless nature, his calculating madness...He was the Boogeyman the Midians checked under their beds for and saw in the shadows of the night. Basically, he was someone I would rather be a couple thousand miles from.

To distract myself from the creepiness of it, I focused on learning more about Musa and Phaina. Musa was a shocking ninety-three years old, and by Spiritomb standards was still just a baby. When I asked how he was so strong if he were still that young, he confirmed what Alucard had said earlier: he was not only at a high level, but Boka had stolen several dozen vitamins from a PokeMart and fed them to the Ghost.

"That sounds so weird, you know. You're still a baby but you're at a high level..."

=A Pokemon's age and their level are independent factors. Our level is determined by how much experience we have gained through battling. You can be a Pokemon at level eighty and barely be a year old, if your style of life includes much fighting. In the same instance, you can be thirty years old and barely be at level ten, if you tend to avoid conflict.=

"I know that," I replied with a frown. "I was just saying it sounded funny."

Phaina, on the other hand, was only four years old. In Psyduck terms, she was just entering juvenile-hood. She was nearing her level of evolving, and that was something she was excited about. At the same time, though, she seemed a little sad, and the answer as to why was soon given.

=I don't really remember a lot, but like my Momma's name, there's one thing I'll never forget. Momma always told me when I evolved, she was going to have this big celebration, and it would be the happiest day of my life. Then I was taken from her, and now I don't know where she is. She'll never get to see me evolve, to see me get stronger and become just like her...=

"Come on now, don't think like that!" I said, patting her on the back consolingly. "How about this: we'll investigate the Vampiric Pokemon, and at the same time we'll do our best to find your mother?"

=Really? We can look for her?= Phaina asked, eyes getting huge as hope filled them up. =Oh, that'd be great, thank you, Nee!= As she spoke, she launched her small yellow self at me, her stubby tail snapping back and forth in her joy. I laughed at ruffled the black feathers on her head as she made a strange sort of cooing noise, her little arms clamped around my waist.

"Of course we can look for her! And we'll find her, I know we can!"

So the time passed, and about two or so hours later Musa announced that we had arrived at a large mansion. After giving a heads-up that he was going to leave the car and take a closer look, he fell into that strange stillness again, and I held Phaina against my chest as I watched the Spiritomb's motionless body hanging in midair.

"I seriously don't like that. It freaks me out when you guys just sit there like that," I muttered. "I mean, I know these aren't your physical bodies and Musa explained what's going on, but it still just creeps me out." Phaina looked up at me with sympatric blue eyes as she gave a noise somewhere between a sigh and a quack.

=You'll get used to it, eventually.=

"Yeah, but for now it bothers me."

Silence fell between us as I floated back and forth aimlessly, waiting for Musa to "return," so to speak. After several minutes, the Spiritomb gave a little shudder and blinked.

=It's large, very large. Big enough to easily hold a hundred people, if not more. Old, maybe older than me, but sturdy. It looks like it might have some Victorian influences. Brick, different shades. Lots of windows, many decorative with no glass inserted, though these are high up from the ground and rather small,= he said. =A fitting place for such an organization such as Hellsing to work out of.=

=We're parking,= Phaina announced almost immediately after Musa had fallen silent. =And now we're getting out, and Alucard is kind of...dragging you out of the car...=

=You are quite a big bigger than him though,= Musa added, a faint smile curving his spectral mouth. =It's somewhat amusing, actually...your claws seem to have snagged on the seat, so he's making the human who drove the car get on the other side to help free you.=

=That guy doesn't look too happy about it either. In fact, he's cursing up a storm about how you're going to wake up at any minute and snap his head off,= Phaina chuckled. =But now you're unstuck, and now we're heading for the mansion.=

So it went, with the two Pokemon giving commentary on what was going on every few seconds. They kept it up until Alucard deposited me in a spare room, dropping me onto a bed and then leaving to do whatever it was he did when not out giving all the nasty non-human creatures nightmares.

The next few hours passed by somewhat slowly, but I didn't mind. I learned more about my new Bound, and in turn gave some more information about myself. By the time I felt myself beginning to stir, I felt as if I had known these two for years, instead of a few mere hours.

=The Vampire is back,= Phaina said, her voice and form getting blurry as I began to awaken. =I guess he's here to tell you the woman wants to talk to you.=

=We'll see you on the other side,= Musa said with a grin, and I flicked a hand-paw at him with a snort as the blackness dissolved, along with the forms of the two Bound. A moment later my eyes cracked open, revealing a dull gray ceiling above me with a single fluorescent light giving off dim illumination. I blinked slowly a few times, allowing my eyes to adjust to the light, then assumed my Hybrid form. After that was done, I slowly pushed myself into a sitting position and looked around.

Musa was floating near my head and Phaina was sitting beside me. I instantly spotted Alucard standing by the door, but ignored him for the moment. Instead, I gazed around the room, taking stock of what was where in case I needed to make a break for it. There wasn't much to look at, though. A few small oak tables were scattered here and there, along with a single chair sitting in the middle of the room. The walls were the same gray as the ceiling, and the bed I was in was pushed up against the left-side wall. A lone dresser with a small mirror attached to the back was against the wall opposite my bed, its warped wood so brown it was almost black. All in all, very bland, but practical.

My inspection complete, I turned my attention back to Alucard, who was still standing by the open door. He had, at some point, donned another pair of sunglasses, which made it hard to read his expression. I narrowed my eyes a little as I clenched my fingers. For a moment I wondered if I should tell him I already knew why he was there, that I knew the Hellsing woman wanted to talk to me. Then I decided it might be better to keep that to myself; it might be a good idea to keep quiet about how I could talk with Musa and Phaina while knocked out.

But this was the great "No-Life King," of course. He studied me, or at least I assumed he did, then gave a faint smile before approaching the bed I was on. He stopped a few paces away, his head tilting down a bit as he stared at me.

"Your Bound have told you that my Master wanted to speak with you when you woke, did they not?" I tensed a little, and the Vampire gave a soft chuckle that sent a shudder through me. "I know all the tricks you De_Mon _have. Communicating spiritually with your Bound when you're unconscious...nice try at attempting to keep it hidden, though. Now I'll ask again: they've told you Integra wants to see you, right?"

"They might have mentioned it," I replied stubbornly, not wanting to give him any satisfaction at hearing me admit something I was indeed trying to keep hidden. "So let's go see her already. I'm sure she'd like to hear what I have to say. But I have a request." At that, one of Alucard's eyebrows arched, and I gave a little mental dance of victory. I had piqued his interest, and call it shallow, but I considered it a score in my favor.

"And what would that be?"

"I want you to be there, because I'm pretty sure you know some stuff too, and if it's anything about Vampiric Pokemon, I want to hear it."

"Integra knows what I know," he replied simply, and I snorted softly as I scooted off the bed. Then I remembered my modesty and glanced at the dresser. "Do you know if there are any shirts in that?"

"This isn't my room," came the reply, and I gave an annoyed growl.

"I'll take that as a no," I muttered, stalking over to the old piece of furniture and pulling the top drawer open. Much to my surprise, it was full of shirts in a variety of colors. I fished out a black one and held it up, eyeing it to make sure it wasn't too big. When I was pleased with my choice, I laid it on top of the dresser and spread it flat, with the back facing the ceiling. "Think anyone would mind a minor modification on this?"

"I doubt anyone would care about the fate of a single shirt," Alucard answered, and I could hear the mocking note in his voice. I resisted the urge to set Musa on him and instead concerned myself with making a hole with a claw in the black fabric of the garment. I worked along the seams, making the hole neat and ensuring it could be easily repaired if anyone was offended by my handiwork. I also sliced two larger holes on either side of the first. After doing that. I carefully cut off the long sleeves and stowed them in the dresser, again working along the seams so fixing the damage would be easy, then slipped the shirt over my head. I had to be careful when putting my arms in, making sure the sharp edges of my fins didn't snag or rip the sides. Once I'd accomplished that, I worked my back fin and wings through the holes I'd made. All in all, the process took about five minutes. Imagine if I had to get into a pair of pants and some shoes...

"All right, now I'm ready," I announced as I went back to the bed. There, I bent over to pick Phaina up, holding her against my chest. I then straightened and faced Alucard, who turned without a word and led the way out of the room.

The hall was considerably darker than the room we had just left, seeing as there were only lights every few yards. Most of the light was cast by the setting moon, shining in through the glass-less windows Musa had told me about earlier. The floor was covered in a thick, plush red carpet. The walls were bare save for the old pictures of various Queens and stern-looking men, and the occasional decorative rug. The simplicity of it was sort of nostalgic, somehow, and I found myself relaxing a bit as we walked.

=Don't let your guard down too much,= Musa said softly as he floated along my head. =I'm sure no one here means us any ill will, but that Vampire...well, you know the stories they tell about him.= I nodded once, not replying verbally because I didn't want Alucard to know what was being said.

The rest of the way was walked in silence, and soon we came to a large set of dark navy double doors. Alucard gave a single knock, then stepped back as a hard, feminine voice called, "Enter!" from within the room. I hesitantly reached out and took the knob of the right-hand door, then twisted it and pushed. The door opened with the barest of creaks, and I was surprised to find the room on the other side to be as dimly lit as the hallway outside.

"Come on then, I don't have all night," a voice from the far side of the room said. I jumped in surprise, then gave a faint snort and pushed my way into the room, shutting the door on my way. I then took a few uncertain steps forward, glancing around as Musa floated up to hover by the top of the door. I supposed he wanted the best view of the entire room, in case anything should happen.

The room was wide and open, with a single large desk placed near the full-length window that took up the entire rear wall. There were some dressers at both ends of the room, as well as some squat, gray filing cabinets. The floor had the same dark red carpet covering it as the hallway, but it was accented nicely by a giant oval rug placed directly in the middle of the floor. It wasn't any specific picture, just an intricate, beautiful pattern of multi-colored circles that overlapped again and again. Hanging on the three non-glass walls were more pictures, though not as many as out in the hall. The most prominent one was of a man who looked not stern, but kindly. In the portrait he was depicted with graying hair and gentle blue eyes, a little smile set on his strong face.

"Come on, we all have better things to do than stand here gawking," came the voice again, and I blinked as I turned to face the young woman seated in a large leather chair situated behind the desk. She had her elbows propped on the desktop, chin resting against her gloved and clasped hands as she watched me. I said nothing as I walked forward, trying not to snag my toe-claws on the nice rug as I passed over it. Phaina wiggled a little in my arms, and I gave her a reassuring squeeze to try and calm her down.

I stopped about a yard from where the famous Integra Fairbrook Wingates Hellsing was sitting, taking her in as she was doing me. Her hair was long, falling to just above her knees, and was a brilliant shade of platinum blonde. Her eyes, even in the shadows, were easily seen for their ice-blue color. Her glasses only seemed to make them more severe, though it if were anyone else the effect would have been opposite. She was wearing a man's suit, dark blue in color, and had a fancy red bow tied at her throat. Hanging around her neck was a thin gold chain, and though the pendant that hung from it was hidden, I knew from the stories it was a golden crucifix.

"So, you're the De_Mon_who's looking for information on the Vampiric Pokemon? I'll bet you're unawares of this, but there has been talk of you in the non-human underground, so to speak." As the young woman spoke, she straightened up as she reached down with her right hand. There came the sound of a drawer opening, and seconds later the Hellsing woman lifted a dark brown cigar to her lips. Another moment she brought a lighter into view, which clicked alight and set the end of the cigar glowing brightly. Once it was lit, Integra flicked the lighter off and placed it back in the drawer, which she closed before focusing her attention back on me.

"What do you mean, talk?"

"Word got around among your kin that you were looking into the matter of these warped Pokemon, and then it spread to the likes of the Vampires and such. And, considering how...closely...we work with these beings, it's only natural that we ended up hearing about you as well." The human fell silent as she took a drag on her cigar, expelling the smoke a few seconds later. "How ironic. I was thinking of sending Alucard out to find you, but you end up finding him." She chuckled a little at that, though I hardly found it amusing. After all, she hadn't been the one to get shot. With the memory of that wound came the memory that the bullet was still in my shoulder. I winced a little at the thought, making a mental note to ask if I could see this "doctor" Musa had mentioned earlier.

"Yeah, ironic, sure. Look, he said you wanted to talk to me, and I suppose it's about why Phaina's not Vampiric anymore, right?" Integra smiled a little, inclining her head but saying nothing. "Right, well, I don't mind telling you what I know, but in return I want whatever information you have as well."

"Very well, I see nothing wrong with an exchange like that. Now, if you would explain how it is you cured this Pokemon of its Vampiric condition?"

"Right, well, I don't know much, actually...just that Binding a Vampiric Pokemon makes it better." I nodded back at where Musa was floating. "He told me earlier, he said that his old De_Mon_ told him that, but nothing else. Though why a De_Mon _would know something like that is beyond me."

"Ask him," came the response, and I recognized it as an order, not a suggestion. I bristled at being treated like that, but bit back the retort I was getting ready to snap out. Instead, I shifted to look back at Musa, calling, "Hey, come here for a minute."

=What is it?= the Spiritomb asked as he zoomed over, coming to a stop about a foot from my head.

"Miss Hellsing-"

"Sir Hellsing."

"Right, sorry, Sir Hellsing wants to know why your De_Mon _knew anything about Vampiric Pokemon."

=He never explained it. The only thing he mentioned was that Binding a Vampiric Pokemon would cure it.=

"Why would he bother telling you something like that if he wasn't going to explain everything?" Integra asked after I finished translating Musa's words.

=One evening we saw a group of them attacking a town. I mentioned that it must be awful to be like that for the rest of one's life, crazy and bloodthirsty, and Boka absently said that they wouldn't stay like that for life, if they were to be Bound. I tried to get more out of him, but he refused to say anything more on the subject.=

"I see...so when you make a Vampiric Pokemon into a Bound, it cures them? Interesting," Integra said softly. Then she made a tsk sound in the back of her throat, adding, "I hope you tried to actually get some information from that De_Mon_ before destroying it?"

"Of course, ask the Ghost," came Alucard's response from somewhere near the door. I jerked, but resisted the compulsion to whip around and look for him. He hadn't come in through the door with me, and I hadn't heard it open after I'd shut it. Damn, but he was creepy!

"What else do you know?" Integra asked me, completely ignoring Alucard's comment.

"Phaina told me that Vampires are the ones making the Vampiric Pokemon, which I guess kind of makes sense. Though I can't figure out why they'd be doing this, and Phaina doesn't know either."

"Vampires?" Integra repeated, her voice rising a few octaves in her surprise. She then turned her gaze to Phaina, speaking directly to the little Psyduck. "Are you certain?"

=Yes,= the duck replied. I translated her response for Integra's benefit. =Like I told Nee, I could sense how wrong they were when they took me from my Momma. And I know for sure that meant they were Vampires because I got the same feeling from him.= As she said this, she motioned in the direction Alucard's voice had come, and Integra gave a little smile.

"Can you tell me what happened to you?"

"I can do that, actually," I cut in, and Phaina gave me a relived look as Integra glanced back up at me. "It was...well, from what she told me, it was pretty traumatic. I don't think she really needs to go through it all again, so I'll tell you what she told me." I then repeated what Phaina had said earlier, about how she had forgotten a lot, about the cage she was kept in, about the strange procedure they did that caused her so much pain.

"And this thirst, as you call it, you started feeling it after they did whatever it was they did?" Integra asked. Phaina nodded, fidgeting in my arms and casting about anxiously. "Very well. If you wouldn't mind, may I have a look at the back of your head?"

The question caught the Psyduck and me both by surprise. She stopped her twitching and I blinked several times. Then Phaina tilted her head back to look at me, doubt and the first threads of fear showing in her cyan eyes. I gave a single nod, then stepped up to the desk and set Phaina beside the large computer that took up most of the space. She jerked a little as she stared at Integra for a moment, then slowly bent her head down. I knew that it took a great deal of trust in my decision for her to do that: most Pokemon didn't bow their heads to strangers as Phaina was doing, because it made them too vulnerable to an attack. If the one they were bowing to decided to strike, it would be hard to launch a counterattack with one's head down.

However, that thought was wiped clean from my mind when I saw the thick, raised scar that twisted about three inches across the base of Phaina's skull. It was jagged, as if the wound had been made by a dull knife, and an ugly sort of yellow-purple. I was surprised I hadn't noticed it before. Then again, it was in a spot that was normally hard to see when the Psyduck held her head up. I saw it the same moment Integra did, for we each drew in a sharp breath at the sight of it.

"It looks as though they did some sort of ill-prepared surgery," the younger woman murmured. "Perhaps we should have her looked at and see if we can find anything. I'm sure Doctor Kreil can find out what was done to her."

"Erm, that'd be great, and do you think he could look at me too?" At Integra's look, I muttered, "Someone took the liberty of shooting me in the shoulder while I was looking for the other De_Mon_."

"Did they now?" Integra asked as she glanced lazily in Alucard's direction. "I'm actually aware of the fact that you were wounded. I recall telling you to have Doctor Kreil examine her before taking her to a room?" This was directed at the Vampire, who gave an eerie chuckle.

"It must have slipped my mind, what with so much excitement going on lately. I'm sure you understand."

""Slipped my mind?" Bloody idiot, don't try to play me for a fool! I know damn well it didn't slip your mind. Honestly..." She then gave an irritated sort of sighing-growl as Alucard only laughed at her anger, turning her attention back to me. "Once we're done here, I'll have Walter take you and your...Phaina, you said?...you and your Phaina to see the doctor." I bowed my head in thanks as Integra took a moment to puff on her cigar. When she spoke next, her eyes found mine and refused to release them.

"Listen well, De_Mon_. What you've told us is of great importance. Until now, we had only assumed some sort of non-humans were behind this. Either that, or humans were being manipulated into it. Now that we know for certain it's Vampires, though, we can begin a more solid investigation. Also, we had no idea that these Pokemon could be cured. Until this point, we've had to...dispose of them. For their own sake, and for the safety of those they could have encountered and injured or killed.

"However, if Binding a Pokemon really does cure it, then I would like to ask you to help us. If you accept, it would be your duty to cure any Vampiric Pokemon we encountered or were sent after. What would you want in exchange for rendering such services to us?"

"Information," I answered bluntly. "Like you said, I've been looking for data on the Vampiric Pokemon, so anything you have, I'd like to know."

"I'm afraid that what we know is sorely inadequate to be sufficient compensation," Integra said, spreading her hands and splaying her fingers. "I can tell you what information we possess, though, if you like."

"I have an idea, but tell me what you have, please, and then we'll talk."

"Very well," Integra said with a faint smile, puffing her cigar as she stood and went to stand before the window-wall, her back to me as she clasped her hands behind herself. She was an impressive sight, outlined by the brilliant, gossamer moonlight streaming through the carefully crafted glass. It threw deep shadows onto most of her body, making her strong form an even more powerful-looking silhouette. It was a sharp contrast to the way her hair shone, as if it were lit from within by some ethereal glow. Every now and then a little cloud of smoke would rise, resulting from her silent drags on her cigar. Finally, she spoke.

"We have come to realize that, for the past two weeks, De_Mon_s have been present when Vampiric Pokemon were attacking. It seems as though this is just a strange coincidence though, for there is no proof that these two happenings are connected. We know that Vampiric Pokemon are maddened, like Summoned Pokemon, and will viciously assault anyone or thing in their vicinity. We know that certain ones cannot be Vampirized; some reasons are obvious, others are not. How is it a Golem can be Vampirized, yet not an Electrode?" Silence, then, "Maybe your little Psyduck can help us learn something..."

"So basically, neither you nor I know much on our own," I said as Integra turned to face me. She inclined her head at my words, and I continued. "So here's my deal. I'll help you out, I don't mind helping cure the Vampiric Pokemon. It's terrible that this is being done to them...Anyways, here's the thing: I want to be kept in the loop on anything you learn, while remaining my own agent. I'll work with you, not for you, and I'll also share with you anything I learn, in addition to helping with the Vampiric Pokemon. I want to make it clear that I'm not one of your soldiers, to be ordered about mindlessly. I want us to come to an understanding that I can leave at any time and not be challenged, and that you may dismiss me of my services at any time without argument on my part. I want to make it clear, basically, that you don't own me."

"You want to be independent of us, yet dependent on us, then? And we of you? That sounds an awful lot like something a traitor would say..."

"Then I suppose we're done here," I replied with a shrug, going to pick up Phaina and turning. Without a word I walked towards the door, feeling a little dejected. The woman knew of me, or at least my reputation, and still wanted to act like I was the same as every other non-human creature in existence. What she must have failed to realize is that I was Benign, and that "traitor" was a word I detested with all my being. I thought about telling her for a moment, but decided against it, as it would only make me seem desperate. Well, I was, but there was nothing to gain from letting it be known.

=We don't need them anyways,= Musa said softly, obviously picking up on my distress and correctly identifying the cause. =We can learn what we need on our own, and cure the Vampiric Pokemon as we run into them.=

"Thanks," I said softly, reaching for the door as I came to it. However, just as my claw-tips were touching the metal of the knob, Integra called faintly, "Wait." I froze, my hand-paw ready to close around the knob, but I didn't turn or say anything. Instead I waited, wanting the human to continue on her own. "Your pardon, De_Mon_. You're right. Neither of us can afford to be tied to the other. These days, I have enough problems to worry about than whether or not a stray De_Mon _wishes to be under my command. And you should be free to leave as you see fit. I suppose I spoke out of turn."

"Well, if it helps, I'm Benign," I offered as I turned, finding that Integra had sat back down. "And we Benign creatures don't much like traitors, in case you didn't know. In fact, I'd say we outright hate them. If you want to know just how much, consider this: Benign creatures don't like killing unless absolutely necessary, right? Well, we'll kill a traitor outright, if they did it out of malice and have no remorse or regret."

"If they did it out of malice...?"

"There are times when you've got to hurt someone you care about in order to help them," I replied with a shrug. "And technically that's no being a traitor, I guess."

"I suppose my comment was more out of turn than I thought," Integra said. "I had no idea that you might be Benign. I assumed you might simply be an over-manipulative De_Mon _seeking things for your own gain."

"Heh, Benign De_Mon _are pretty rare, I know, so no harm, no foul," I responded, smiling a little. "So do we have a deal? Forgive the cliche, I hate them but tend to use them a lot, annoyingly."

"We have ourselves a deal," Integra repeated, nodding firmly. "You will now be an unofficial operative of Hellsing, not working for us, but with us. You will be given free roam of the mansion, save for Alucard's domain of the dungeons. He will tell you where you are and aren't welcome. You are under no one's command, and only my suggestion. To the same extent, however, you will have no command over any man not directly placed under you by my orders. You will be given full soldier rights, and any intelligence we gain on the subject of Vampiric Pokemon will be passed to you. In exchange for all of this, you will assist us in dealing with Vampiric Pokemon we come across, as well as delivering information on them you may acquire. You may leave as you see fit, as I am free to dismiss you of your service if we no longer need you. These are the terms to our agreement."

"I understand," I said. "Everything sounds good to me."

"I'm glad to hear it," Integra replied, reaching for a phone sitting near the computer on her desk. "Now then, I'll have Walter show you to Doctor Kreil's section, and once you've been taken care of we'll have a little meeting of sorts." She then flicked her hand at me and turned away, and I recognized the gesture as a dismissal. I started to bristle, because we had just made a deal that I wasn't to be treated like a common soldier! Then Integra added, "You're free to go now De_Mon_. But before you do, what is your name?"

"Just call me Nee," I said with a grin.

* * *

_"I stand before, a road that will lead,  
Into the unknown, at least unknown to me..."_

The man Integra kept calling Walter arrived a few minutes after the young Hellsing woman called him, entering the large room with a courtly bow before facing me.

"Good evening, ma'am," he said. These British men, always so polite and gentlemanly. Well, most of them anyways. I'd met quite a few of them I wouldn't have minded giving a good smack or two for their lack of manners. "If you'd follow me, I'll take you to Doctor Kreil's quarters." I nodded, and he turned and led the way out of the room.

As I followed behind him, I found myself surprised by his age. He was easily in his sixties, but there was a lean, delicately controlled power in him. He held himself the way only someone confident in their strength and ability can, and despite the his age I knew he could easily take me one-on-one. He was in very good health for a human of his years, as well. Slender, but not overly skinny, with a fair amount of muscle on his bones. His hair fell to about halfway down his back, pulled in a simple ponytail and shockingly free of gray. Trust me, that raven black hair was natural, not obtained through a bottle of dye. I highly doubted he actually needed the monocle he wore; I was sure those dark gray eyes of his were just as sharp now as they'd been thirty or forty years ago. Most likely he wore it for show.

=He must be a butler or something,= Musa muttered as we walked a few paces behind him. =His clothes...their color and style remind me of servants I saw a few decades ago. It wasn't the exact same, of course, but there were similar elements.= I bobbed my head absently, more intrigued by the odd gold circlets around the old human's upper arms than his clothing. The way they gleamed in the dull light of the hallways was almost hypnotising, and it took an effort to pull my attention away from them. Afterwards, I focused on the off-white and dark gray-blue of the human's shirt and vest.

"So, ah, what exactly do you do?" I asked, attempting to strike up some friendly conversation to learn more about someone I would obviously be seeing a lot. Walter gave a soft chuckle as we turned a corner and headed down a wide series of concrete stairs.

"Well, many years ago I was one of the prime soldiers of Hellsing. Then I aged, as we humans do, and I retired to the position of retainer, as well as a weapons specialist. I designed and made Alucard's guns, for example. Recent circumstances have had me seeing quite a bit of action in the field, though. It's actually somewhat refreshing, to be honest. The life of a butler is a slow and easy one, but very boring when you're used to the action and thrill of the battle."

"Heh, I wouldn't really know. I'm not much of a fighter myself, despite my appearance."

"A Garchomp De_Mon_ who's not much of a fighter? A De_Mon _period who's not much of a fighter?"

"Oh, that, well...my becoming a De_Mon_ was more on accident than purpose. I'm a Benign De_Mon_, see." I quickly retold the story of how I'd met an injured Garchomp and possessed her in order to end her suffering.

"I see," Walter replied when I'd finished. "How lucky for you and her both that all those incidents took place in the same time frame."

"Yeah, though for a while I considered it more of a freaky coincidence."

And so we talked for a while, and Walter was politely surprised when I revealed that I was a few years younger than his sixty-three.

"Dear me, you don't look an hour over twenty "

"Well, Demons and De_Mon_s both age a lot slower than humans do. I'm still pretty young, by De_Mon _standards."

After a bit more walking and stair-descending, we came to one of the sub-levels of the mansion. I suppose it could have been the first sub-basement or something. Actually, it wasn't even that: all the floor consisted of was a wide, long hallway. On either side were five doors, though only the one farthest from us on the right side was open. Cold white light spilled from the doorway into the dimly-lit hall, casting odd shadows and seeming to beckon and warn away at the same time. It was quite eerie, honestly. I came to a halt as Walter walked on a few more paces before realizing I was no longer following him.

"Something wrong, ma'am?"he asked as he turned back to face me, and I gave a little scowl.

"Ugh, please, don't call me that. It's too formal. Nee will do, thanks."

"Nee, then. Is something troubling you?"

"Ah, no, just a little jumpy I guess."

"Understandable." The old human smiled a bit. "I assure you that Doctor Kreil is much more amiable than Alucard, and less prone to shooting you." He nodded his head back in the direction of the open door. "I'll drop in and explain things to him, or you could do it yourself if you like."

"I think it would be kind of a shock for the poor guy if I just waltzed in declaring I needed to have a shot shoulder and scarred Psyduck checked out. He'd probably have a heart attack, which would be really ironic."

"Yes, you have a point. Well then, let's go get you and your friend checked out then," Walter said, turning away from me and walking on. I followed after a second, staring nervously into the darkening shadows as I walked closer to the open door. No crazy, trigger-happy Vampires or ugly De_Mon _leapt out at me, though, and a few seconds later I watched as Walter made his way into the doctor's room. I waited outside, my eyes darting here and there as I took in what I could see of the room. Walter walked to the right and soon vanished from view, though I could hear him and another man speaking.

My immediate view of the room was of several long, thin metal tables, each with a thick white cloth draped over it. Complicated machinery reminiscent of a hospital was stuck at odd intervals, along with IV stands, small metal stands on wheels with surgical equipment on them, and a computer taking up the entire top of a table to the left. The walls and ceiling were white, which reflected, somewhat overwhelmingly, in the shiny linoleum of the floor. The effect was made even more dizzying by the glaring white fluorescent lights set into the ceiling, again reminding me of a hospital. The sharp tang of powerful cleaners and sterilizers made my nose and the back of my throat sting, and I coughed softly a few times as I snorted.

"...going to be helping us," Walter was saying now. "So the faster you can get her and her Bound taken care of, the better."

"Bring them in then, and let's have a look" replied the deep, resonant English voice that obviously was the Doctor's. There came the scuffing of shoes on linoleum, then Walter stepped into view. He smiled and gave a small bow, motioning for me to enter the room. I did so hesitantly, coughing more as I blinked and glanced to the right, seeking the human that was going to check my shoulder and Phaina's scar. When I found him, I was, to say the least, shocked.

He was nothing like what I was expecting. Tall, almost as tall as Alucard, and wide. Not fat, just...wide. Like a bouncer for a club or something. No doubt his frame required special measurements in order to have his clothes fit properly. His shoulders were broad, and under his off-gray shift and gleaming white slacks were visible, corded muscles. One of his hands could have completely covered my face. In sharp contrast to his clothing was his dark skin. It was as if he was out in the sun too much or something. His caramel hair was only a few shades darker than his skin, giving him an otherworldly appearance. A few stray bangs were hanging in his bright emerald eyes, though he didn't seem to be bothered by it.

"So, you're helping us out are you? Well, even if you weren't, orders are orders, and I'm the last person you'd find going against Sir Hellsing's wishes," Kreil said as he walked over, his light brown shoes squeaking faintly as they shifted against the floor. I nodded slowly a few times as the man came to a stop about a foot away, looming over me by at least a foot. I tilted my head to look back at him, impressed with his stature, but not intimidated. The doctor's bright eyes twinkled as his lips lifted into a please smile. "Might not have the craziness or the ugliness of a De_Mon_, but you've got the guts of one " he exclaimed, giving me a friendly smack on my unwounded shoulder. I smiled in return, grateful he hadn't just landed that blow on my other one; despite being light and companionly, it had still packed a bit of force behind it.

"I've got the craziness if you make me mad enough, and the ugliness too," I said, earning a deep, booming laugh from Kreil.

"I won't believe it until I see it, friend." He gave a wink, then folded his arms over his chest, becoming more serious. "Now then, what do I need to have a look at?"

"Erm, well, Phaina here has a nasty scar on the back of her head, and I guess Integra wanted you to see if you could tell what was done to her and all. And then I have a bullet in my shoulder."

"Mmm-hmmm," Kreil hummed as he shifted his gaze to the Psyduck in my arms. Phaina gave a little quack of hello, then bent her head down so the human could study her scar. "My, this isn't too old," Kreil murmured as he bent a little, running a finger lightly over the thick knot of mended flesh. "But I'll worry about that in a moment. For now let's worry about fixing up your shoulder." He straightened and turned, walking over to a nearby table and plucking some gloves from a box sitting on it. "Where exactly were you shot?"

"Er, the back, near my shoulder blade. Right side," I offered, and Kreil nodded as he pulled on the blue surgical gloves. "Uh, I'm not sure, but I think the shoulder blade might have gotten hit too."

"We'll find out," the human said, waving at a large, white-yellow metal box attached to a mechanical arm some feet away. "We'll take some x-rays and find out where that bullet is, and see if any damage was done to any of your bones. Go stand in front of that wall there...here, you can set your Bound on the floor and she can stand by you..." I did as he said, bending and setting Phaina down. I then walked over to the wall that Kreil had indicated, studying the large metal box and mechanical arm as I passed them. The box looked like a square camera, when I got a look at the front of it. There was a large, clear disk of glass in the middle, around which was a square handle. Thick wires ran from the box to various parts of the mechanism that held it up. I cocked my head at it, my wings twitching a little in curiosity.

=It's called an x-ray machine,= Musa said, answering my unspoken question. =I've seen several in hospitals, before I met Boka. They take pictures of your bones using special rays. The pictures are called x-rays, shockingly enough.= The Ghost gave a smile at his own wit. =The rays can also show solid things like bullets and such.=

"Huh," I replied, and Phaina pressed herself against my leg as she stared up at, to her at least, the intimidating machine.

"All right, let's do this," Kreil said as he came over, gently gripping my good shoulder and moving me into place in front of the metal box. "Erm, I hope your modesty doesn't suffer any indignation, but you have to remove your shirt. The fabric can interfere with the rays the machine uses."

"Er, no problem," I said with a shrug, though indeed my modesty was very indignant with the request. Sighing, I went through the tedious motions of removing the shirt without damaging it, Kreil watching me in fascination the whole time.

"You bone structure must be like a human's from your torso up, yet you move with much more flexibility than a human would have. Your muscles must be attached in different places, despite the similarities in bone structure, or there could be slight differences in build...and tendons and ligaments that don't exist in humans probably lend some of that flexibility of course, but even though you resemble a human it's silly to make assumptions like you are one..." he muttered, marveling at how I twisted and shifted to keep from ripping the shirt up anymore. When I finally got the shirt off, Kreil peered closely at my waist with a look of intense concentration.

"With your torso sunk in so much, I wonder how your organs must be aligned and such? And your ribs look awfully thin, but a spider's silk is much stronger than steel thread of the same size and thickness, so it doesn't much matter how thick they are I suppose. And the way your human and Garchomp components seamlessly meld together is amazing..."

"Er, yeah, amazing," I repeated dully, and Kreil's eyes rose to my face as he gave an abashed laugh.

"I'm sorry, dear, it's just I've only seen De_Mon _in their, er, flamboyant Pure form. I've never seen one in Hybrid form, so your build and structure and all that is very interesting to me. If it's not too much trouble, would you mind being my living subject during your free time?"

"As long as you don't stick me with any needles or do un-kosher tests on me and stuff, then I don't mind, I guess."

"Excellent, thank you, Lady De_Mon_!" Kreil exclaimed merrily, clapping his large hands together like a small child who'd just received a much-wanted gift.

"Nee will do, thanks," I told the human, who nodded his head absently.

"Right. Now then, your shoulder. Does it hurt at all? From the way you moved it a moment ago, it seems to not be causing you much pain."

"Well, I healed most of the damage earlier, and then I was unconscious for a while, so it's had more time to get better since then. It doesn't so much hurt as it does ache. Annoying, but tolerable."

"I see," Kreil replied as he turned, going to the machine and flipping some switch or another. The large piece of equipment started humming softly as it came on, and Kreil came over to me after checking a few things. "Here, stand to the side like this..." he muttered, turning me to face the right. He gently pushed my chin up with a forefinger, forcing me to lift my head for some reason. I gave a faint snort, and the human smiled a bit. "Straightening your spine is all, makes the x-rays easier to read." After a second he pulled away, nodded and walked back to the machine. Out of the corner of my eye I saw him grip the gate around the lens and adjust the metal box a few times. "All right, deep breath, that's it, now hold still for a second..." A second later there came a dull sort of "whirring" noise, then a dull click. There was a brief flare of light from the lens, but it faded about a second later.

"Is that it?" I asked, and Kreil chuckled as he came over.

"I need to get one from the front and one from the back, and then that'll be it. What did you expect?"

"Well, I've never seen one of these before, much less know how they work," I answered defensively, and the human smiled a little as he spread his hands in surrender.

"Fair enough," he said. Then he had me face the machine and took another x-ray, and finally had me face the wall while he took the third and final one. After he was done, he had me sit in a chair while the x-rays processed. He stood behind the tall metal seat, which put my head level with his, and gently prodded my injured shoulder.

"You're pretty lucky, actually," he said as he worked. "Your wing muscle wasn't hit head-on. There could be some damage to it elsewhere, but none that would incapacitate your wing permanently." He stopped pushing around my shoulder for a moment, and I could sense him leaning closer as he inspected whatever evidence was left of my wound. "This is an awfully clean heal; there's only a neat little hole to show where the bullet entered. How bad was this before you healed?"

"Well, I couldn't see it, but I could feel it. It was pretty nasty from what I could tell: my shoulder was pretty ripped up."

"Which is nothing that I wouldn't expect. Amazing..." The last was muttered under the human's breath, and I gave an inward sigh as I rolled my eyes. All I wanted was to be treated, not be ooh'ed and aah'ed over. Seeming to sense my impatience, Kreil went back to the task at hand. "Er, anyways, I can't feel the bullet, so it must be embedded pretty deep. Once I see exactly where it is, we can decide if local anesthesia is enough, or if we'll have to put you under to get it out."

"Eh, what?"

"Oh, I'm sorry, I keep forgetting you're not familiar with medical terms," Kreil said. "Local anesthesia is when a part of the body is numbed so minor surgery can be done. Full anesthesia, which is also known, less formally, as "putting one under," is when the person is made to fall into a deep sleep in which pain won't wake them. It's used when more serious or time-consuming surgeries are called for. If that bullet is really deep, then local anesthesia won't really be enough to numb the area sufficiently. Putting you under will cause less stress and pain to you."

"Oh, I see. How much longer will it take for the x-rays to be ready?"

"A few more minutes," Kreil replied with a chuckle. "Not very patient, are you?"

"Not really, no."

Silence fell as Kreil continued checking my shoulder. I glanced around absently and was surprised to find Walter standing by the door; I'd thought the old human had left. He was facing out through the doorway towards the hall, hands clasped behind his back. I could see his mouth moving, and with a bit of focus I could pick up on his words.

"...and be fast about it. I know you have a short attention span, but do try not to get distracted too much this time. I expect you to be back within a few days." I caught a flash of purple wing as whatever the old human was talking to turned in the doorway, then hurriedly faced away before Walter could see me looking. My stomach roiled a little with unease; I had the feeling I had seen and heard something I wasn't meant to. I didn't understand the feeling, but if it was one thing a De_Mon _never did, it was go against their instincts and gut feelings.

For some reason, Walter was not to be trusted.

Finally, Kreil stopped prodding my shoulder and went to collect the x-rays. As he walked off, I leaned down and muttered, "Guys, did either of you hear anything Walter was saying just now or see what he was talking too?"

=Sorry, I was dozing,= Phaina responded groggily, blinking up at me from where she was sitting by the chair. I glanced up at Musa, who trembled in a way that translated to a shake of the head.

=Me neither, I didn't even realize he was still around,= the Ghost said, his voice growing tight. =Do you think we should keep an eye on him?=

"Yeah," I said, telling them what I had overheard and the purple wing I'd seen. "I think it was a Crobat, since they're the only Pokemon with purple wings."

=We'll make sure to watch him,= Musa assured me, a glint coming into his eyes. =And listen, as well.= Phaina nodded, yawning as she stretched, and a few moments later I turned to see Kreil walking back over, a small packet in his right hand. I also saw Walter, still standing by the door, but now looking at me. I pretended not to notice, keeping my gaze from lingering on him for more than a breath, and turned my attention back to Kreil. I forced back a shudder, trying to ignore the prickles making their way down my spine.

Definitely not to be trusted.

A moment later, Kreil was standing in front of a wall with some sort of opaque window attached to it. Running along the entire top of the long thin window was some protruding bit of pale yellow material. I watched as Kreil flicked a switch on the left side of the window, causing it to light up with bright blue illumination. Then he opened the packet and pulled out a long, thin sheet of what looked like plastic. It looked black at first, until the doctor jammed in into the protrusion along the top of the window. When he released it, the x-ray was held in place, and I could see it was actually a translucent shade of gray. Except now parts of it looked blue, thanks to the light of the window.

Curious, I slid off the seat and padded over to stand by the human, Phaina and Musa following behind me. I stared at the first x-ray as Kreil pulled out the other two and hung them a few inches apart. The human pointed out the things in each of the x-rays that would help him determine where the bullet was and what kind of damage had been done. The most obvious thing was a bright blue dot visible in all the pictures, which Kreil said was the bullet.

"We'll have to put you under," the doctor said as he turned to face me. "The bullet is closer to your chest than your back, but there are bone splinters from where the bullet struck your shoulder blade." He turned back to the x-rays and pointed at the one that had been taken with my back to the machine. His index finger traced a circle around a cluster of long, thin slivers of blue. "These need to be removed as well, since leaving them there can cause infection. So I'll remove the bullet from the original wound after I get those bone fragments. Then we'll flush it out and make sure the wound is all clean, suture it up, and you'll be good as new!"

"You don't have to give me stitches. You can just put something over it, like a band aid, to keep it clean until I wake up. Then I can heal the wound myself." Kreil lifted an eye at the comment.

"Fear of needles?"

"No, it's not that, not at all. I just…I would rather heal on my own." I shrugged, unable to really convey my feelings about the situation. "I mean…I know I can't heal this wound on my own and that I need some help. But once you've cleaned it up, I can take it from there. I just…"

"You're not used to relying on others for aid," Kreil said softly. I knew the words, while sounding like a question, were a statement. I was silent as the human faced me again. "You're used to being on your own, caring for yourself, healing your own ills and pains, bearing the hurt by yourself."

"I'm Benign," I muttered, refusing to look at him. "When I was a De_Mon_, I had my Clan to help me out, to rely on. I still have them even now, when I'm not a De_Mon_, not even related to my own mother or father anymore." Still, the human was right. As much as the members of my Clan loved one another, even me, there was only so much they would do for each other. Injuries, if not life-threatening, were seen as challenges to overcome on one's own. There were no words of comfort and solace for pain, only encouragement to stick it out and become stronger for it. I remembered a time I had broken a wing, when I was much younger and just barely learning how to use my healing powers. My own mother had refused to help me or comfort me, but had instead instructed me in healing the break. It had been so painful, physically and emotionally. All I had wanted was a hug and some gentle words of reassuring, and instead I'd gotten a detailed description of how to heal my wounds.

Silence loomed for a long while, me brooding over what Kreil had said, Phaina pressed consolingly against my right leg, Musa hovering protectively behind my head. Kreil watched me for several moments before returning his gaze to the x-rays. When he finally spoke, I gave a little start as I pulled myself to the present.

"The surgery will take about an hour, two at the most. We'll get to that in a moment though: first, I want to take a look at your friend's mystery scar," he said, and I nodded silently as I bent down and scooped Phaina up. She wiggled a little, getting comfortable, and gave a little quack of happiness as Kreil patted her on the head with a smile.

"Go on Phaina, show him," I said, and the Psyduck nodded as she bent her head down. Kreil bobbed his head a few times as he ran a finger over the raised scar.

"Not very old at all, maybe a month or two. I'll have to examine it more thoroughly before I can give you anything worth listening to, but two things are obvious right away. One, the wound this is a result of was done either very hastily or with a very blunt cutting utensil. The inner edges are all very jagged and rough, and these lighter streaks indicate violent or sudden ripping in the flesh. Second, because of the severity of this scar, it's obvious the tear was neither sutured nor cared for properly afterwards." The man scowled a little as he looked up from his inspection, eyes boring into me. "What happened to her?"

"Vampires," I replied, "are what happened to her. They captured her, took her from her mother, and did something to her to make her Vampiric." At this, Kreil's eyebrows shot up, and a trace of alarm spread across his features. I shook my head, adding, "When I Bound her, she was cured. She's normal now."

"Walter explained that you were going to help with curing Vampiric Pokemon, but he didn't say anything about your little Psyduck here having been one." The human patted the back of Phaina's head, as if apologizing for having been startled when I'd said she'd been Vampiric. "Anyways, after I've fixed your shoulder I'll take a closer look at her scar, take an x-ray or two to make sure there's no unseen damage that needs to be addressed, that sort of thing." Kreil clapped his hands together after he spoke, smiling a bit. "Come on, let's get you ready."

I followed him to one of the cots, which he waved to. I set Phaina on the floor and then sat on the cot, watching Kreil as he adjusted a massive light fixture situated above me. He flicked it on, and for a moment I could only see white. Then I blinked and looked away, my eyes watering and stinging from the sudden flare.

"Sorry about that, I didn't realize you were looking at it," the man said, and I shook my head as I reached up to wipe away the tears streaming down my cheeks.

"Oh, it's all right, I'll live," I told him, blinking as my blurry vision slowly cleared. When I could see normally again, I looked to the doctor and shrugged. "So, er, now what?"

"Lay down on your belly, get comfortable. Prop your chin on that pillow there, I'd have a guard for you to put your face instead, but they're being cleaned and repaired right now, so the pillow will have to do…" he rambled. I did as he said, not knowing or asking what a guard was supposed to be used for. "Right, now just let your wings drop, they will when you go to sleep anyways." I scowled a little as I let my wings droop to the floor. How degrading, slapped on a table on my stomach with my wings down. I twitched as they touched the cold linoleum floor, but resisted the urge to fold them again. "Now…" Kreil hustled around for a moment, then wheeled over a small, complicated-looking machine with all manners of buttons and knobs adorning it. A long, thin blue tube snaked from the right side, ending in a plastic mask that was made to fit over the nose and mouth. After flipping a switch and fiddling with some of the knobs, Kreil gently pressed the mask against my face. "Now breathe in and out, nice and slow, like you're relaxing after a hard day."

I did as I was instructed as a faint hissing sound reached my ears. I considered asking exactly how this would make me fall asleep, but within seconds of thinking it I found myself getting drowsy. I blinked sluggishly, giving a faint snort or alarm. Kreil gave a little chuckle, somehow picking up on my unease.

"Don't worry. It's just a special combination of gases that knock you out for a few hours. Nothing to get anxious over." Even as he spoke, though, Kreil's voice started getting muffled and distant. I blinked again, slowly, then my eyes slid shut and seemed to glue themselves closed. I tried to open them, but the pull of sleep was too strong.

Seconds later, I was fast asleep.

* * *

_"And I take the first step of a million more.  
And I'll make mistakes I've never made before.  
But at least I'm moving forward,  
at least I'm moving forward,  
At least I'm moving forward..."_

Over the next several days, I spent most of my time getting acquainted with the Hellsing mansion and its inhabitants. I had my "meeting of sorts" with Integra, which turned out to be a nice dinner as she explained Hellsing's existence.

"We are charged by her Majesty the Queen with defending Great Britain and her shores. It is our sacred duty and task to eradicate the vermin that crawl these streets and alleys. We have been hunting and exterminating the threats and nuisances to mankind for generations, and will continue to do so until the last one is slain," she'd declared, and I had been so caught up in the whole speech (which was much longer, mind you) that my steak had been completely forgotten until Integra mentioned it.

I had met two of the mansion's more prominent figures the next evening. I learned that the one with the long hair and the eye patch was named Pip Bernadotte, and that he was the French leader of a group of mercenaries known as the Wild Geese. The terms of employment he and his men had agreed to had something to do with "new challenges" and "making more money than God himself" or some such things. He had been walking with the other Vampire Hellsing had in service, Alcuard's fledgling Seras Victoria. Both of them had spotted me as I aimlessly wandered the halls of the large estate, trying in vain to find my room.

"Ze De_Mon_!" Pip had exclaimed in a hushed voice. He apparently thought that I couldn't hear him at five yards away. What he didn't know was we De_Mon_s have very good senses of sight, hearing, and smell. "I 'ear zat she is going to be 'elping us with ze Vampiric Pokemon, and zat she is free to leave whenever she pleases."

"You'd be correct," I'd replied with a grin, waving a hand-paw at the young man. He'd looked like a train was speeding towards him, paling quite magnificently upon realizing his private, one-sided conversation had been heard by me. "The name is Nee, and these are Phaina and Musa."

In addition to that, I learned about Hellsing's greatest adversary, next to that of "threatening and troublesome non-humans". Some group called the Iscariot Organization, and more specifically, a secret service sect known as Section Thirteen. Apparently, the two groups of supernatural hunters and slayers had gotten into several conflicts over the years. Not only that, but it seemed that Iscariot believed Hellsing incapable and incompetent when it came to the hunting and killing of Vampires. From how Integra had explained it, Iscariot was on one hell of a high horse because their organization had been in the business for centuries, as opposed to Hellsing's paltry handful of decades.

"Apparently, the fact that Hellsing has the most powerful Vampire working for them doesn't mean anything," I'd said, and Integra had given a sort of forced smile.

"They have their own kind of monster," she'd replied before telling me of Father Alexander Anderson, a human with insane genetic modifications that allowed him to regenerate himself just as much as Alucard could. He was what they called a Regenerator: not very original, but very accurate.

I also got a taste of what life with the No-Life King was like. More often than not, when I saw Alucard he was either spooking the various men under Pip's command, spooking Pip, or accosting Seras. The young woman, as a result, often walked with her head down, short orange hair hiding her face as she meandered absently through the halls.

Unfortunately, he seemed keen on bothering me as well.

Three days after my joining of Hellsing, I was sitting on one of the many ledges that projected from the mansion's roof. Phaina, being afraid of heights, had remained in my room, claiming she wanted to take a nap. The night he'd looked her over, Kreil had done an x-ray on her, which had given her strange headaches that still persisted. The x-ray itself was taking an unusual length of time to develop, which Kreil explained was probably an effect of the Psyduck's psychic abilities. Musa had come with me; the Spiritomb and I had become close in the short time we were together, and he accompanied me everywhere.

That night, the Ghost was busy tracing patters in the air, and I was content to simply watch him as he weaved and bobbed, dove and twirled. It was almost like he was dancing to some silent melody, moving to a rhapsody only he could hear. My wings twitched restlessly, and I made the effort of slowly stretching all four of them. Just as I was unfolding my top-right one, though, I'd sensed the Vampire's presence behind me. I started to turn to face him, then caught myself. If he wanted my attention he could ask for it.

"So this is where you've been hiding lately," Alucard drawled, and I let out a small growl as I resumed stretching my wing.

"You must have really sucked at hide-and-seek as a kid, if this is your idea of hiding. I bet you were the one standing on top of a rock shouting that no one could ever find you in a million years," I countered, and Alucard laughed in a malicious sort of way.

"I was always the hunter, not the hunted," he said, and I gave a shudder despite myself. There was more to that comment than was obvious, much more. "Unlike you, it seems."

"Excuse me?" I asked coldly, finally turning to face the Vampire. I gave a little start when I saw he was closer than I'd thought: only a foot or so of space separated us. I glowered up at him, growling at the smirk that had spread across his pale face. He didn't have his signature sunglasses on this night, and I found myself glaring daggers directly into his crimson eyes.

"The rumors about you, of course," Alucard said, feigning innocence. "That your fellow De_Mon_s hunt you down for being Benign. That you yourself prefer to avoid confrontation instead of going out to destroy those who would dare think so little of you."

"They aren't my "fellow" De_Mon_s," I retorted hotly, my out-stretched wing snapping back into a folded position. My lips lifted into a disgusted snarl as my lower-right wing unfolded. "They're twisted mockeries of what their Hosts used to be. They're heartless monsters with no place in this world. Every last one of them deserves to die."

"Yet you allow them to live, allow them to pursue you and harass you like some injured, helpless deer," Alucard jeered. "Maybe if you stood up for yourself instead of always avoiding the conflict, they'd give you the respect you deserve?"

"What do you think you possibly know about it?!" I snarled angrily, folding my stretched wing so suddenly I felt a joint pop. "Allow them to live? There are millions of them, and one of me. I can't go out and declare a personal war on each of them! As for standing up for myself, I do that very well, I should have you know. You claim you've heard the rumors. Shouldn't that mean you've heard that all of the De_Mon_s who try to kill me have instead been killed?"

"Excuses," Alucard said shortly. "They come to you and you kill them. The ones that come to you are always the weak ones, trying to prove themselves. You have to go out and find the stronger ones, the ones who have no need to prove themselves. You have to destroy them to show how strong you are, and then they will realize you're not to be trifled with. Yet you don't. You slink in the shadows and are content to let the weaklings keep coming."

"Paradoxes aren't fun," I muttered as I stretched both of my life-side wings at once. "You say the weak ones go out in search of battles while the strong don't because they don't need to prove themselves. Yet I'm not out looking to fight, so shouldn't that make me strong and not weak?"

"No. The situation is different for you. You have yet to prove yourself as being strong because you let yourself get pushed around by the weaklings. Rumors alone aren't enough to deflect an opponent hopped up on their ego."

"Gods and Goddesses, what the hell does it matter?" I growled, folding my wings as I turned to watch Musa. He was still tracing his patterns in the air, but was now facing us as he did. I assumed he was keeping an eye on things for now, just in case this little exchange of words should escalate to something more. "I don't care about any of that. They might deserve to die, but I don't find it to be my responsibility to see to it that they do. Unless they come at me directly or I encounter them through other means, why should I bother going to destroy them? At any rate, I know my own strength, so it doesn't matter what others might think they know about it. I don't see any need in going out to prove myself."

"The words of a coward," Alucard purred behind me, his silky tone dripping with mockery and disdain. "Pretty words to hide the fear that you're not as strong as you-" The Vampire's words were cut off as I let out a snarling little yelp of anger, snapping my left arm and behind me as I channeled a blast of my Electricity Profession at him. The sparkling tendril of yellow-and-blue lightening struck the Vampire in the chest, knocking him off his feet and sending him sprawling on his back a few feet away. In the same motion I gracefully rose to my feet-paws, lips pulled back in a tight snarl as my wings unfurled part-way. Behind me, Musa made a warning noise that was between a sigh and a cough. Whether it was directed at me or Alucard, I didn't know. I didn't really care either, at that moment. The Vampire had just crossed the line in calling me a coward.

"A coward?! Get up, VAMPIRE, and I'll show you how much of coward I am!" I said, my words snapping out with each step as I advanced on where the Vampire was sitting up. I growled deeply when I noticed the maniac grin plastered across his lips, growled even more as he rose to his feet and absently patted at his charred, smoking shirt.

"Sadly, I don't have the time to stay and play," Alucard said with a chuckle. "This is the time of night when I have to go and watch the Police-Girl choose to remain the weak, pitiful thing she so desperately wants to remain."

"There's nothing wrong with wanting to have a little bit of humanity," I replied irritably as the Vampire turned from me. Seras had told me how consumed Alucard had become of late with trying to get her to drink blood. Every night for the past several weeks, it seemed, he would stand behind her as she again and again refused to feed from the blood packets Integra obtained for the two Undead, all the while taunting and tormenting her for her choice.

"The thing about that is, we are not human. We may have been, once, but that was wiped away when we made the decision to turn our backs from the light and embrace the darkness," Alucard responded as began to walk off. "And she did make the decision. It's time for her to quit acting as if she hasn't. It's time for her to acknowledge what she willingly became. It's time for her to stop being weak."

"Why is it so hard for you to see there's more to us than just being strong or weak?" I shouted after the retreating Vampire, and wasn't surprised when he didn't answer. "Gah, get back here dammit!" Again I was unheeded, and seconds later Alucard had vanished.

Long after he'd left, I'd been agitated by his cold, precise nature. Of course, I shouldn't have let it bother me so much, because I knew what he was like from all the stories I'd heard about him. It was always about who was stronger and who was weaker, always about who could kill who. Still, he appeared just like the De_Mon_s I hated so much in that moment that he spoke so badly about Seras. So uncaring, so heartless, reveling so much in the destruction of others, trying to force what he believed was strength upon someone he deemed unworthy. After that moment, I felt a strong sense of connectedness with the younger Vampire. We both had to deal with those who were obsessed simply with the task of flaunting their strength and tearing down any who thought differently.

Then the agitation passed with the speed of a beating heart as I realized, in horror, that I had actually attacked the mightiest un-living Vampire in the world. The thought of my recklessness set me atremble, and I took several fast, deep breaths to calm myself. Musa floated over to hover comfortingly by my side, his essence brushing against my shoulder.

=The fact that you dared act against him like that, I think, gained you just a smidgen of respect,= he told me. =He, for one, has realized you're not to be trifled with. I'd be careful in the future, though. He may decide you're the perfect one to goad if he thinks it'll get that kind of reaction out of you. He's always looking for the perfect battle, the perfect opponent. If he gets it in his head that that's you, it could make things a lot more complicated.=

Finally, the night came when I was called into Integra's office to discuss the possibility of a mission. Walter escorted me to the large room, and I was surprised to find Alucard, Seras, and Pip there as well. Four pairs of eyes turned to face me, and I ignored them all except Integra's.

"Very well, now that everyone is accounted for, let me begin," the young woman started as she leaned forward in her chair, elbows on the desk, hands clasped before her. "We've just received word via intelligence that a dried-out corpse has been found in the Newport Recreations Park, in one of the heavily wooded areas. Special agents who were called in to examine the body and look for evidence found two interesting things. One," she pulled her hands apart and held up a finger, "is that the tracks around the victim were those of Pokemon. Specifically, a Lickitung and a Riolu. Two," and here she raised a second finger, "is that the body was covered in sets of small puncture makes. Some of the sets were bigger than the others.

"Also, it seems people have been reporting sightings of Riolu and Lickitung in the woods, even though they normally don't live there. There was no suspicion, though, and no attacks before this one, so no records were made of the sightings except for population levels data.

"Now, though, one of the agents has decided to call us in to investigate. He is a source, if you will; someone outside of Hellsing and the Round Table who we keep in the loop because of the services it offers. He wants us to go to the area the corpse was found and locate the Lickitung and Riolu. He's certain that, based on information we have exchanged, these Pokemon are Vampiric. He wishes for us to come in and take care of the matter.

"Now then, Nee, you will of course be going to Bind and cure these Pokemon. Alucard will accompany you so you don't have to battle them alone." I started to protest that, getting ready to tell Integra I didn't need the Vampire when I had my Bound to help me. The woman held up a gloved hand to cut me off though, and I grudgingly complied. "I would rather your Bound remain here where you won't have to worry about them."

=Nonsense!= Musa exclaimed heatedly, jerking back and forth in his agitation. Phaina pressed herself against my leg, a motion she'd made into habit and did when scared or upset. =Nee doesn't need to worry about us and we won't let her face any foes on her own, especially NOT with just that VAMPIRE to protect her!=

"I'm sorry, but I cannot understand your words," Integra said softly to the Ghost, which instantly made him fall still. "However, I understand what you mean. Your reaction tells me clearly what yours words can't. I know you don't wish to remain here while Nee goes off without you, but it is for the best. Perhaps she doesn't need to worry about you, but she will, and it might cause her to make an ill decision in battle."

=But she is our De_Mon_,= Musa replied faintly. He looked at me, and I gave a shake of my head.

"She's right though," I said, hating it even as I said it, hating it all the more because it was true. I would worry about them, Phaina especially. "You guys should stay here. I'll be fine, don't worry." Musa said nothing, but his form drooped a bit in defeat. I glanced down at Phaina, who looked scared. I smiled at her, trying to reassure the little Pokemon, then looked back up at Integra. She nodded, then glanced at Seras and Pip.

"You two will provide any back-up that may be needed. If other Pokemon are disturbed by the battle and try to interfere, it will be your job to keep them occupied until Nee is finished with Binding the targets. You're also charged with making sure no one stumbles upon the battle. You'll both be taking your Pokemon, and Walter will provide you with each with enough of the Tanks to fill your teams. Pip, you're also in charge of getting everyone to and from Newport. Our source has prepared a boat for you to take, so we don't have to worry about acquiring one ourselves."

"When do we leave, my Master?" Alucard asked from behind me, and Integra laced her finger together as she leaned back in her chair, studying each of us in turn.

"You will depart immediately, and are to return as soon as the Pokemon have been Bound." At this, Alucard chuckled a little.

"Very well, then let us depart," he said. I looked back to face him in time to see him walk out the door. I scowled a little, then turned back to face Integra. She nodded at us.

"Good luck," she said as she smiled faintly.

* * *

_"So you want a piece of me - bring it on  
Time is money, talk is cheap - bring it on  
So if you're saying what you mean - bring it on  
Bring it on, bring it on, bring it on, bring it on..."_

About two hours later the four of us stepped from the boat and onto Newport Island. I glanced around, but found no one else present. Not very surprising, that. We had come around to the wooded area that had been indicated by a map Walter had showed us before we'd left the mansion.

There was no port or dock of any kind, but the shore was like a beach, so it was an easy matter for Seras and me to drag the boat out of the water. We hauled it far enough up the sandy incline to ensure that it wouldn't be swept away should the tide rise while we were busy with our mission.

Afterwards, the four of us trekked the small distance between the shore and the woods. The area we were crossing was full of short, stiff grass that crunched faintly when stepped upon. Despite that, it was surprisingly lush and soft against the bottoms of my feet-paws. Sand quickly gave way to cool, moist dirt, which my claws dug small furrows into as I walked. A small bush here and there held large blue berries that looked silver in the light of the shining moon: Oran berries. I trotted to a bush and snagged a branch full of the multi-flavored fruits, snapping it from the bush without a break in my stride. As I picked one of the berries from the branch and tossed it into my mouth, my eyes scanned the looming trees of the woods that were steadily growing closer.

"A Lickitung and a Riolu," Pip said suddenly, and I glanced over at the lean human as he clasped his hands behind his head. "A Normal type and a Fighting type. 'Ow do you think zat eez possible? I don't think zat a Vampire would be able to bite through a Riolu's steel hide, even if zey aren't completely 'ardened. And vy would zey bozer with Pokemon anyways?"

"Er, Pip, the Vampires that are doing this aren't going around biting random Pokemon," I told the mercenary. "From what Phaina said and that nasty scar on the back of her head, it seems the Vampires are somehow turning the Pokemon Vampiric through surgery or something."

"Has Kreil gotten that x-ray developed yet?" Seras inquired, and I shook my head.

"I guess Phaina's psychic powers are still having lingering effects on it somehow. He said he'll try again if it doesn't develop in a day or two," I answered. Seras opened her mouth to reply, but before she could say anything Alucard spoke.

"Bernadotte, Police-Girl, let your Pokemon out now. Order them to circle us as we move through the woods. Anyone coming towards us is to be turned away, any Pokemon trying to get in the way is to be dealt with accordingly. I will tolerate no distractions. Understand?"

"Uh, yes sir!" Pip exclaimed, a bit loudly. Seras, as was her habit, meekly replied with a timid, "Yes, Master." We all came to a halt as the mercenary and fledgling reached into their pockets and grabbed out six PokeBalls each. Seras had four that were all white, and Pip had three similar ones. I recognized them as the Balls Walter had given them earlier.

"Er, what exactly are Tanks?" I asked, certain that Integra had been referring to the Pokemon contained in the ivory orbs as Seras and Pip released their Pokemon. She had said, after all, that Walter would be giving them as a way of filling the two's teams.

"The Tanks are the bulky, aggressive Pokemon Walter trains," Seras replied as twelve PokeBalls cracked open and twelve flashes of white light lit up the field we were standing in. Several moments later, the flares died away, revealing the Pokemon the two Hellsing operatives had under their control.

In Seras's party there were two Gyarados, two Aggron, an Espeon, and a Beedrill. The Gyarados rose their towering, blue-scaled bodies into the air as they stretched, their massive jaws opening wide and revealing large, deadly fangs. The frills growing the both sides of their maws, one on each side, fluttered as they swished their tails around. Then they slowly curled in on themselves, twitching the several fins that adorned their serpentine bodies. Afterward, the thirty-foot long beasts locked their tri-pronged crests together in a mock battle. The two Aggron flexed their bulky gray bodies, the steel armor grating against their rocky hides. They waved their three horns through the air, clenching their powerful paws into fists as the eyed one another. It looked like they'd start fighting, but then the two lost interest in one another and set to looking around. The Espeon trotted over to Seras and gave a soft mew, swishing its slender, double-tipped tail through the air. Seras knelt to pat the psychic feline between its large, tufted ears, then scratched it along its spine. The red jewel set in the cat's forehead glowed gently, a sign the Pokemon was feeling content.

The Beedrill buzzed over to hover beside Seras, its slender yellow-and-black striped body flitting up and down as its large clear wings pumped rapidly to keep it airborne. It tapped the massive white stingers at the end of its first two arms together gently, its wedge-shaped head cocking as large black eyes regarded the Vampire before it. Smiling, Seras reach up with her free hand to pat it on the head as well, and the Wasp gave a contented buzz.

Pip's team consisted of a Gyarados, an Aggron, a Rhyperior, a Luxray, a Chatot, and a Lucario. The first three went to stand by the Tanks in Seras's party, and the seven of them settled into what was obviously a routine of sparring. Meanwhile, the yellow-and-black Luxray sat beside Pip, its head level with its Trainer's chest. Blazing yellow eyes took in the surroundings as the electric lion swished its tail, lifting a blue paw to rub at its thick mane. Blue ears twitched as it watched the Chatot while the multi-colored parrot circled Pip's head. After a few rotations, the avian alighted on Pip's right shoulder, the note-shaped feather atop its head shaking as the little Pokemon ruffled its yellow breast feathers. Then it spread its baby blue wings, the metronome-shaped feathers that made up its tail ticking back and forth at a steady rate as it chirped, "Hello, hello, hello," and shook the white crest around its neck. Then its blunt orange beak snapped shut and its eyes slid closed.

The Lucario watched all this with a little smile, and the bipedal, blue-furred jackal turned to face me, lavender eyes bright as its boomerang-shaped tail lifted stiffly. Long ears swiveled towards me, the spikes on the backs of its paws held out towards me as the creamy tan fur around its chest, stomach, and back bristled a little.

I, too, tensed up, reacting to the slightly threatening manner the Lucario was presenting. A soft male voice floated through my mind, tinged with disdain as Pip stepped up to the jackal and placed a hand on his shoulder.

~What is this, Master? Why is this thing here? Are we to fight it?~ he asked, and I felt my anger starting to pique at being called a "thing."

"Non non, Guerrier! Zis eez our ally! 'Er name eez Nee. Be polite." Guerrier was tense for a heartbeat longer, then relaxed. His tail lowered to its natural position and his ears twisted away from me a little, his paws falling to his sides as he bowed his head at me.

~Forgive my rudeness, it's just that we have had many unpleasant encounters with De_Mon_s in the past.~

"Aahh, it's all right," I said, waving the issue away. "Everyone makes mistakes and bad assumptions."

By this time, Seras had ordered her Pokemon to fan out and keep away any other Pokemon or people passing them. Pip scowled at her and ordered his Pokemon to do the same, only to fan out behind us instead of in front, as Seras's party was doing. His team moved out, except for the Chatot, which was still perched on his shoulder. I cocked my head at the little bird, and Pip smiled as he reached up to rub a finger on the Pokemon's head.

"She makes distractions for me, but she's not very strong. She wouldn't be able to 'old off a Pokemon or someone determined to get past 'er."

"Let's go," Alucard interjected suddenly as he started off. I glared at his back as he walked by, then sighed and followed after him. In front of us, Seras's Pokemon trotted off and spread out, and behind us I could hear Pip's Pokemon positioning themselves. Within moments, the six creatures leading the way vanished into the foreboding woods, and soon we were swallowed up by the dark trees as well.

The woods were eerily quiet. The normal night sounds that should have filled the area were strangely absent; there were no Noctowl hooting, no howls of Mightyena checking one another's locations, no huffing of Ursaring foraging, no bellows of one startled Stantler or another. It was as if the habitants of these woods had fled in light of the attack on the human, had fled in anticipation of the fevered hunt that would undoubtedly ignite once the corpse was discovered by other humans. It was as if the Pokemon had left their homes behind to make it easier for the Vampiric Pokemon to be found and punished for this.

I rubbed my arms as I looked around, my feet-paws moving over the light carpet of dead and decaying leaves and grass. The loamy scent of the woods permeated everything, and combined with the looming trees and pressing darkness, it created a sense of being closed in, captured, with no way out. I shuddered a little at the thought: I was no stranger to woods and forests, but this was a much different situation than usual.

We trekked on, none of us speaking. My eyes darted back and forth as I scanned our surroundings, scrutinizing every shadow, every flicker of movement. The sound of a snapping twig made me start, the old scent-trails of Pokemon filled my nostrils. My senses were on high-alert, my body coiled tight and ready to react at the slightest hint of danger.

On we walked, and in time Seras moved ahead of us, while Pip fell farther and farther behind. The better to command their teams, I supposed. Soon, Alucard and I were alone, though he didn't seem to care much. Indeed, he had a devilish smile on his pale lips and a distant look in his eyes. I decided he must be thinking about the battle to come.

Just as I was getting ready to say something, I felt a subtle shift in the air. I came to a halt in mid-stride, eyes widening as a charge filled the area. Alucard felt it as well, coming up abruptly as his head snapped back. I, too, looked up into the trees tops, just in time to see two massive, crackling beams of multi-colored energy coming at us, closely followed by two orbs of bright blue energy that spun erratically through the air.

I yelped and leapt back, dodging a Hyper Beam that would have taken my head off. However, my backward momentum took me right in the path of the Aura Sphere attacks; one hit me in the chest, the other in my stomach. I was sent tumbling back, smacking into a tree seconds later and grunting as the wind was knocked from me. Not a heartbeat later I watched as Alucard was engulfed by the second Hyper Beam, and I let out a faint groan as I staggered up. Seconds later the attack petered out, and I saw all that was left of the mighty Vampire: a smear of gore, splattered on the ground and surrounding trees. Great. That would take him a while to regenerate from, which meant I'd be on my own for a while.

Just freaking wonderful.

Then something occurred me: there had been four attacks. But there were only supposed to be two Pokemon, so where could the two extra attacks have come from? Had our assailants each fired two attacks? That seemed unlikely, especially for the dual Hyper Beams. The attacks had all come at the same time, as if four separate beings had loosed them.

Growling, I lifted my arms in preparation of defense, though even as I moved I sensed it was too late. An eye blink later four forms dropped from the trees above me, the two smaller, darker ones landing on my shoulders and back. I snarled as they dug blunt claws into my flesh and snapped at my wings with short, blunt muzzles, bucking madly to throw them off as the other two forms landed a few feet away.

The Riolu that had fallen upon me growled and slavered, getting drool all over me as they bit and clawed at my flesh. I gave a thin cry as one of them tore a long gash in my back with a fang; I then threw my wings open and called upon my Fire Profession. Seconds later, a massive burst of popping orange flames erupted from my body, knocking the Vampiric jackals from me and sending them sprawling.

Without giving them a chance to retaliate, I jumped into the air and pumped my wings, forcing the remnants of the quickly-fading fire to the ground and washing them over the little blue Pokemon. Both of them gave tinny howls, their partially hardened Steel hides becoming intensely hot from the unnatural blaze I was assaulting them with.

However, I was so intent on fending off the Riolu that I temporarily forgot about the Lickitung, which was a rather stupid mistake. I sensed the impact before I felt it; then there was a crushing force crashing into me from behind. I gave a wheezing gasp as I was knocked from the air, hitting the ground with surprising force a moment later. I coughed, gasping as I struggled to stand. Before I could, another blow from the right had me rolling across the ground.

I came to a halt, dazed and dizzy, but somehow managed to stand after only two tries. I growled softly, spitting out a wad of blood and saliva as I eyed my opposition. The two Riolu were standing, their blue fur smoking slightly. Burning crimson eyes glared at me, and the two black protrusions on the backs of their heads were vibrating madly. Their long tails lashed the air, and they stomped the ground with their black hind paws as they barked and snarled viciously. The Lickitung were glaring at me as well, beady red eyes narrowed as they swayed their large, portly bodies. The salmon-pink skin of both looked somewhat pale, as if they'd been avoiding the sun for a time, and the cream markings on their chests and bellies were barely noticeable. Their long tongues were lolling obscenely from their mouths, and their thick tails were flicking back and forth madly, like they were having localized seizures.

Then they moved, completely without warning. One of the Lickitung lunged for me, thick globs of spit trailing from its tongue as it came at me. The other opened its jaws wider, inhaling as it prepared one attack or another. The Riolu charged at me with the other Lickitung, yapping crazily, an insane light in their eyes. I threw my arms up as the three Pokemon bore down on me, hastily calling on my Electricity Profession and erecting an Electrocution Barrier. I was just in time too; the Lickitung hit the barrier head-on, followed by the Riolu. All three got a doze of electricity strong enough to stun even an Electric Pokemon, and they collapsed to the ground with pained and enraged squeals.

There was no time to congratulate myself, though, because at that moment the second Lickitung snapped its head down and disgorged a steaming jet of crystal-blue ice. The Ice Beam slammed into my chest, expanding across it as it struck. I yipped in pain and clawed madly at the frigid stuff, trying to get rid of it. Being part Garchomp, as it was, I had an extreme hatred and intolerance of anything cold: in effect, I had inherited my host's Ice weakness.

As I worked to free myself of the ice, the other Pokemon clambered to their paws and started shrieking angrily. They knew they couldn't get at me when I was protected by my field of electricity. Well, at least not physically. I gave a grim smile as I watched them regroup, watched them eyed me, then the ice on my chest, then the Lickitung that had fired the offending attack.

This wasn't good. I could see in their eyes that they held the madness Vampiric Pokemon suffered, but it seemed they were capable of primitive pack effort and that they were capable of the barest rational thought that told them they could take me if they worked together. I hadn't been expecting that at all, since I'd never heard of Vampiric Pokemon working together in the past, even though they were always in groups. Well, except for Phaina, of course.

I had no time to spare. With this unpleasant wrench tossed into the gears of what I had expected, I had to kick things up a notch while Alucard regenerated himself. Until he was whole again, I would have to fight with everything I had. Brushing off the final bits of the ice clinging to my chest, I threw my hand-paws into the air and tapped into the deepest core of my Fire Profession, calling upon the strongest defensive Specialty in my arsenal.

"Fire Profession, Specialty: Pitfire Restrict!" I hollered, and instantly purple flames flared to life around my arms. They were shot through with red and black streaks, and distant screams echoed from within them. The sight, coupled with my sudden words, startled the Vampiric Pokemon long enough for me to complete the Specialty. I brought my arms down, tracing a complex series of patterns through the air. When I finished the last ones, the fire raced from my arms and formed itself into a square shield, mingling with the Electric Matrix, making both barriers even more powerful.

Aah, Pitfire. Flames from the very core of the Underworld. I smirked as the four Pokemon glared at this new element, unsure of what to make of it. It wouldn't harm them if they should decide to touch them, nope, not when used defensively. The great thing about this stuff was it kept any energy-based attacks from getting through to the user, when formed into a shield. It would absorb the energy, making itself all the more impenetrable with every failed attack. Of course, the fire was just as useful when used offensively, which I really couldn't do for this battle. Pitfire was capable of stealing souls from their victims, if the user was strong enough. I wouldn't be able to Bind and cure these poor Pokemon if I trapped their souls in an eternal agony that made the Underworld itself look like paradise.

Now thoroughly protected, I began powering up yet another powerful Specialty of mine, an Electric one that had enough force the utterly destroy the entire island if I didn't release it properly. It was risky to use, of course, but I had the control over it to ensure it just stunned my opponents long enough for Alucard to literally pull himself together. The only thing was it took a cartload of energy to power, and that meant it took time to prepare.

I drew my attention away from the raving and screaming of the Vampiric Pokemon as they tried firing attacks at me, only to have those attacks drawn into the Pitfire and made completely useless. I shut out the distractions, focusing entirely on the pulse of energy in my body. The warmth of the Pitfire surrounding me helped set me at ease, helped drain the tension from me as I relaxed. It was easier to use one's Professions when one wasn't drawn as taut as a sail on a windy day. The screams emanating from the fire were drowned out, just like the screams from my foes. As I drew into that calm, centered place within myself, I lifted my arms and crossed them in front of me, releasing my breath in a slow, steady exhalation. Inhale, exhale, again, again. With each breath I felt more aligned, more in tune with my body. I would need that utter connection between spirit and body, or else my control over the Specialty I was preparing would be erratic at best, non-existent at worst.

Then came the task of precisely converting just the right amount of energy into electricity at just the right strength. I felt power begin to course through me as I worked, power that begged to be released so it could rip apart everything in its path, myself included. I quelled the feelings, though, focusing entirely on getting everything exact. There could be no mistakes, none at all, the consequences were too large…

Then I felt the stab tear through me. My eyes snapped open in surprise, then horror, as I realized the Lickitung and Riolu were starting to overwhelm the Pitfire I'd summoned. I watched in mounting distress as they released attack after attack, hitting the flaming shield with more energy than it could absorb all at once. Damnation! I was too far into my Specialty to cancel it and break it down back into energy, but it was still to unstable to release. There was no way the Pitfire would last long enough for me to finish, either. It was warping and distorting with each blast it was struck by. There was only one thing to do.

I threw my arms out, releasing the volatile electricity as just a Profession instead of letting it go as a prepared Specialty. It was dangerous, because letting it out like this could rip away a deadly amount of "attached" energy: this electricity hadn't been fully cut away from the energy it had formed from yet, but there was nothing to do but let it out anyways.

The electricity tore itself free of me, shooting out of my hand-paws as streak of brilliant reddish-purple streamers. I winced as it was released, pain wracking me as the unbalanced mass left my body. As it jumped from my palms, it lanced out at anything nearby, and this included the Vampiric Pokemon that had just about finished bringing down the Pitfire Restrict.

Several heartbeats later the electricity had been loosed entirely, and I sagged a little as I panted. Before me, the Pokemon were jerking and twitching on their feet, momentarily paralyzed by the force of the attack they'd just received. I dropped the Electric Matrix as I watched them, since it was taking too much energy to keep in place, energy I would need it to power my offensive moves. For now and the next few minutes, I had the chance to regain my breath. It would take a bit of time for the Lickitung and Riolu to shake off their paralysis.

At that moment, though, I heard a fluttering sort of noise, which was soon followed by a distant kind of chirping. I scowled, glancing around, then spotted a shadow moving irregularly through the trees. As it passed through shafts of moonlight, it swayed and stretched, parted and regrouped. The closer it got, the louder and clearer the fluttering and chirping got. Finally, I realized the fluttering was the beating of hundreds of wings, and that the chirping was the squeaking of black bats. A LOT of bats.

As I watched, the flock descended upon where Alucard had been standing when the Hyper Beam had turned him into a splatter of gory muck. Said muck was steaming, like it was evaporating or something, and the bats flapped about it madly as they let out their screeching squeaks. Then I noticed a sharp movement to my left and looked over, seeing a lone bat fluttering beside me. Its fiery crimson eyes burned with amusement as it stared at me.

~Having fun yet?~ the furry thing inquired as the rest of the flock began taking a rough human shape. I snorted loudly.

"Heaps. Now if you don't mind, hurry up and finish healing. We have two extra opponents to fight, and these ones working together."

~Really now? Never heard of that happening…~

"Exactly! So kinda hurry it up a little, would you? We don't have all-" I was cut off as a sudden weight on my back sent me toppling forward, yelping in surprise. A loud howl in my ear told me it was one of the Riolu, recovered before its brethren and infuriated that it had been held at bay for so long. The howl ended abruptly when the Riolu chomped its jaws down around the back of my neck, driving its fangs into my flesh and tearing deep wounds open. I roared in pain and thrashed about, struggling to dislodge the thing as it jerked its head back and forth, ripping the injuries open further and sending rivulets of blood down my back.

"For…Aruseusu's…SAKE!" I bellowed, unable to shake the Riolu off as it started dragging its tongue roughly across the wounds it had inflicted. Letting out a snarl, I assumed my Host form. My neck thickened as a result, forcing the Riolu to loosen its grip or have its jaws broken as they were forced further and further apart. Once it had released me, I snapped my left arm out and around towards my back, driving the point of my arm-fin into the Pokemon's side and knocking it off me. It hit the ground with a little scream, which I ignored as I looked to see whether the other three Pokemon were recovering so quickly as well.

My fears were confirmed seconds later when I saw one of the Lickitung begin to spin about madly, and the second open its jaws to unnaturally wide proportions. The second Riolu was shaking itself, having been the last to throw off its paralysis. I let out a faint growl, getting ready to attack the spinning Lickitung when a blast between my shoulders sent me staggering towards the Pokemon, off-balance and struggling to stay upright.

Luck was not with me tonight though. As I was vainly trying to regain my balance, the Lickitung with its jaws hung open jumped forward, wrapping its long tongue around my throat and jerking my towards it. I gave a gurgled choking noise as my windpipe was crushed shut, while at the same time the second Lickitung spun at me and slammed into my side with such force that several of my ribs snapped. But the Rollout attack wasn't done, and the pink Pokemon whirled away speedily as it prepared to strike again. I gave a silent groan of pain, my lungs beginning to burn from lack of oxygen as the Lickitung that had me gave a throaty sort of growling purr.

Desperately, I lifted an arm and twisted it, pointing my arm-fin down at an angle and jerking it down and to the side. The sharp edge caught against the Pokemon's tongue and sliced through it with relative ease, and I quickly tore away the bit that was strangling me as the Lickitung wailed. The cry of pain quickly turned to one of rage, though, and the thing stomped crazily as it shook its head, sending blood and drool everywhere.

I gasped, gulping down huge lungful of air and coughing fitfully. I had never realized how much strength a Lickitung had in its tongue until now. As I caught my breath, I saw the other one spinning towards me again, but I gave it no time to hit me. Wincing, I threw my upper body to the side, dancing gracelessly out of the Lickitung's range. I felt shattered ribs grinding together, felt shards of bone slice through flesh, and bit back a curse as I staggered to a stop, panting. Damn, but this was going to be tough!

I slowly lifted my arms, steeling myself for a painful, arduous battle, but before I or the Pokemon could do anything, I felt a sort of shudder in the air and turned. There, standing with his coat billowing around him, was Alucard, finally regenerated and wearing a huge grin on his lips. His sunglasses and hat were curiously missing, and his hair seemed…longer. Yes, it was a lot longer, coming about halfway down his back instead of just stopping at his neck. I shivered a little: I had heard the stories of subtle changes in the Vampire when he was preparing to fight.

"Take a break, I'll handle things now," he said, his voice tinged with excitement and barely-suppressed insanity. He then lifted his arms, fingers splayed and hooked like long white claws. His coat billowed out dramatically as a foreboding breeze kicked up, and the four Vampiric Pokemon faced the Vampire with uncertain expressions. Their madness and fury quickly overcame that, though, even as monstrous blobs of writhing darkness rose from the Alucard's back and shoulders. These formed themselves into the heads and necks of dogs with dozens of insanely-placed eyes and gaping maws, massive fangs dripping fetid white foam as the necks stretched and contorted. As they rose higher into the air, Alucard jerked his arms down and out, and the seven or so heads snaked out with astounding speed, baying hideously.

The Riolu that had bit me was struck down first; I could tell which one it was by the blood staining its muzzle. One of the dog heads snapped its jaws shut around the little jackal's chest, lifting it into the air as it shrieked and thrashed, trying to free itself to no avail. After several seconds of shaking, the head whipped to the side, releasing the Riolu and sending it crashing into a tree. At the same time, the other Riolu was set upon by two heads, gnawed as it flailed its arms about and fired random Aura Spheres. One of the Lickitung had is head grabbed up and was slammed a few times into the ground, while the remaining heads merrily tossed the second Lickitung around, flinging it into the air over and over.

I watched as the Vampiric Pokemon were steadily beaten down, taking the time to see to my broken ribs. Gritting my fangs, I focused on the pounding in my side, concentrated until I could sense the breaks and begin mending them. Slowly, painfully, I diverted the energy in my body in order to realign the smashed bones, making sure to get every last shard into its proper place. After that, I flooded my ribs with raw energy, converting much of it into new bone mass.

Finally, my ribs were healed. They'd be tender for a while, but it was a heck of a lot better than having my bones crunching around. After taking a moment to rest, I shifted my attention back to the battle taking place. Not a second later I saw the Lickitung that was still getting tossed around shift, dropping its jaws open and sucking in a breath. It the released that breath in an ear-splitting scream that reverberated throughout the area, and I felt myself become dazed from the Screech. I blinked sluggishly, scowling in confusion as the dog heads recoiled, then seemed to dissolve away into thick clouds of grayish-black smoke. Then I had the thought that Alucard must have taken some of the attack as well; Vampires had hyper-sensitive senses like De_Mon_s did, including hearing, so there was little doubt that he was a bit stunned as well. Hah, the thought made me feel a little triumphant, despite feeling a little stupid as well. Alucard thought himself so freaking invincible, but I faced him and saw a sort of irritated, uncomfortable look on his face. Yup, he was feeling the effects of the Screech as well.

In that moment, I saw both Riolu lunge at the Vampire, one using a Reversal, the other unleashing a Force Palm. The Reversal was delivered in the form of a vicious roundhouse kick, and I could hear the impact of the attack. A split second later, the Force Palm struck the dazed Vampire in the chest, the Riolu's glowing crimson paw hitting hard enough to knock the Undead off his feet. I moved to help, clumsily tottering forward, but had my own problems to deal with. The Lickitung were coming at me, charging recklessly as they let out bellows of rage.

Somehow, I sidestepped the one with the severed tongue, though I placed myself right in the path of the other one. The Pokemon's sloping shoulder slammed hard into my midriff, and I grunted heavily as I drunkenly stumbled back a few steps. I managed to keep my balance, thankfully, and countered the Slam with a Slash attack. My arm-fin whistled through the air, then made a satisfying thwack noise as it collided with the Licking Pokemon's temple. I gave a lopsided smile as the thing groaned and slid to the ground, looking a bit stricken. The force of the blow made my fin tingle a little, but I pushed it away and shook my head, clearing it of the lingering affects of the Screech and focusing on my foe.

The Pokemon was watching me, eyes narrowed as it twitched madly. Then it swung its arms around rapidly before barreling towards me, letting out such a terrible cry that I was sure my ears must have bled from it. As it drew close enough, it suddenly grabbed its tongue in its hands and swung it around with tremendous power, aiming the Power Whip at my head. No doubt it would leave me knocked stupid if it hit, but I didn't plan on letting that happen. Instead, I snapped one of my arms up and hooked my claw around the Pokemon's tongue, then deftly flicked my wrist so the hot, sticky appendage was wrapped around it once. Once I'd done that I yanked my arm back as hard and far as I could, using the Lickitung's momentum against it and pulling it off its feet. The thing let out a startled piping noise as it was suddenly drawn forward with such speed it was almost a blur, and I smiled a little as I lifted my free arm, then sharply brought it down at just the precise moment. The dull edge of my arm-fin smacked against the Lickitung's side, though the power of the Brick Break was still great enough to send it crashing to the ground, out of commission. For now, anyways.

I turned from the two defeated-for-the-moment Lickitung to see that Alucard was holding one of the Riolu by its left hind leg, staring at it as he swayed it from side to side. The other was currently dodging bursts of dark purple flames from…a Houndoom? I scowled a little, wondering where it had come from. The fire hound was pitch black, every last bit of it. The shards of bone protruding from its back rose into jagged spikes instead of gentle curves, and the bone circles around its ankles and wrists were spiked as well. Its long thing tail was tipped by a sort of blade, rather than the usual sharp-pointed spade, and the two horns growing from its skull were pointing straight up, instead of curving over its back. As I looked closer, I could tell by the size that the strange Houndoom was male.

"Here Baskerville, have another," Alucard said, almost bitterly, and tossed down the Riolu he'd been holding. The jackal landed awkwardly, then snarled at the Vampire who'd thrown it and held up its paws. Before it could do anything, though, the Houndoom whirled and let out a huge torrent of those odd purple flames. The blaze caught the little Riolu by surprise and engulfed it, and even from where I was standing I could feel the heat pouring from the vortex. And if it bothered me, being part Dragon in essence, I knew the Riolu would be in utter torment.

The flames died away a second later, to reveal a smoking and most-definitely unconscious Riolu lying on the ground, charred leaves and branched all around it. Much of its fur was singed black, and the scent of burnt fur and smoldering wood reached me a moment later. I coughed from the acridness of it, and even as I started forward the Houndoom turned to face the last Pokemon standing. The Riolu snarled and yowled, then jumped at the fire hound and threw its paws out. For a second nothing happened, then a whirling orb of purple sparked to life in front of the Pokemon's outstretched paws. Within the span of a few heartbeats, it expanded into a giant sphere of flames that were the same purple hue as the ones the Houndoom had just used. A breath later, a jagged beam of fire ripped from the main orb, slamming into the Houndoom and sending him flying back.

I blinked, stunned at the Riolu's impressive Copycat move. But even more surprising was when the Houndoom halted his tumble in midair, then slowly righted himself and glared down at the Riolu as he growled deeply. Alucard cocked his head back, looking up at the hovering dog, then shoot me a look. He smirked a little, then absently snapped his fingers, never taking his smoldering, blood-red eyes from me as I assumed my Hybrid form.

"Baskerville, finish this already. Quit toying with the thing, I'll let you out to play again later. Right now we have a mission to complete." Above us, the Houndoom growled something in a language I didn't understand, but which Alucard seemed to have no problem interpreting. Then he slowly lowered from the air, until his paws were on solid ground again. In the space of a fraction of a second after landing, the Houndoom was standing in front of the Riolu, who looked fatigued by this point. No doubt; that last move had certainly cost it a great amount of energy.

With a deft flick of his head, Baskerville smashed his left horn against the top of the Riolu's head, directly between the ears. As the small jackal tottered back and forth from the blow, Baskerville lifted a paw, extended his claws to unnatural lengths, and slashed them across the Riolu's belly. The attack knocked the smaller Pokemon to the ground, groaning faintly as it struggled to stand. Before it could really even make an effort, though, Baskerville released a small stream of those searing purple flames, which somehow wrapped around the prone jackal and blazed intensely for about a second. Then it died away, leaving the Riolu still conscious but too weak to get up.

I looked back and forth between the four Pokemon, wondering where to start first. Alucard muttered something and snapped his fingers again, which was followed by a growl and a whoosh of heat and flame. I whirled in time to see Baskerville disappear into a huge cloud of colorless flames.

"Baskerville, my hellhound," the Vampire said lazily, as if I had begged to know who and what the strange Houndoom was. I simply shrugged in response and turned away from where the familiar had been standing, heading over to the Lickitung. I knelt by the first and quickly set to seeking its soul and Binding it, since it was the more energetic and active of the two. Then I moved on to the second, beginning the Binding process with it before going to the Riolu Baskerville had first knocked out. It gave a faint groan as I sought its spirit, but otherwise gave no indication of being aware. Finally, I dropped by the second Riolu, feeling tired as I found its spirit and wove a bit of my own around it.

I sighed heavily as I sat like that, feeling my heavily-drained energy pulled in four directions. It was somewhat unnerving, really, and I found myself looking forward to when the Bindings would be done. Not only would this uncomfortable feeling of being dragged in four directions at once go away, but then I'd be able to go back to the mansion, meet back up with Musa and Phaina, and get some sleep.

As I thought about how nice that idea sounded, I caught a flash of movement from the corner of my eye. Thinking it to be Alucard coming towards me, I looked up and was surprised to see a pale figure standing in the trees a few yards away. I blinked, shocked: how had he gotten past Seras's and Pip's Pokemon? Then I noticed the source of the movement I'd seen: another Houndoom, this one regular. I growled a little, starting to rise, but before I could actually stand the pale figure vanished suddenly. The Houndoom remained a moment longer, then turned and was lost in the darkness of the woods.

Who and what on Earth…?


	4. Order Three: Attack!

**Definitions and Such**

**Zaphaina**- Kaalith word meaning "blue." The root of the word is "phaina." "Za" is a complex word, meaning "red and green as one."

**Phaina**- Kaalith word meaning "color" or "hue."

**Kaalith**- One of the sub-languages of Pokemon-kind. It is similar to the English language, in that it is the most common and popular.

**Clan**- A Demon's family group.

**Shatoki-Mino**- Nee's old Clan. This is the DemonTongue name: it roughly translates to "Fate Claw" in English

**Hellsing**- A British organization working under direct order of the Queen, but operates in secrecy and is unknown by the general public. They are charged with defending Great Britain and her shores from all manner of supernatural threats.

**Tanks**- Bulky and often aggressive Pokemon trained by Walter to be used by Hellsing's soldiers, for various circumstances and situations.

* * *

**_Last Time in Monsters of the Machine…_**

Nee falls into a deep slumber after Binding her first two Pokemon, and in those hours of restorative sleep, she starts getting to know her new Bound. She also gets taken back to the Hellsing Mansion, where she later wakes.

After a meeting the leader of Hellsing, one (Sir) Integra Fairbrook Wingates Hellsing, Nee agrees to help the organization in dealing with Vampiric Pokemon, after revealing that they can be cured by being Bound. Terms are agreed upon, and Nee is led away by Walter, Hellsing's retainer, to meet with Dr. Kreil. The bear of a man sees to tending Nee's injured shoulder and also takes a look at Phaina's odd scar, but not before Nee sees and hears a bit of something that makes her certain Walter isn't to be trusted.

As the days pass, Nee meets others who inhabit the Hellsing manor, and an exchange of words between our heroine and Alucard turns to violence after the Vampire taunts the De_Mon _and calls her a coward. Luckily, it's nothing serious, and the situation ends abruptly. Nee later finds herself horrified that she had dared attacked someone so powerful, and is comforted by Musa.

Then comes word of a corpse found in a recreational park, completely drained of blood and covered in bite marks. Pokemon tracks are found around the body: the whole thing reeks of Vampiric Pokemon. Nee, Alucard, Seras, and Pip are sent to the island to deal with the situation, and shortly after arriving Seras and Pip leave Alucard and Nee in order to ensure no humans or Pokemon inadvertently interrupt the coming battle.

Minutes after they depart, Nee and Alucard are attacked out of the blue. Nee manages to dodge a Hyper Beam, but takes two Aura Spheres as a result. Alucard, not being as lucky, is struck by a second Hyper Beam and reduced to a smear of gore.

As she buys time waiting for the Vampire to regenerate, Nee takes on the four Vampiric Pokemon that show themselves soon after the ambush, which turn out to be two Riolu and two Lickitung Taken slightly by surprise after expecting only two opponents, Nee takes a beating and doles out a few of her own before Alucard finally manages to pull himself together and enter the fray.

It's not long before the four Pokemon are weakened enough for Nee to try and Bind them. After beginning the process, the De_Mon _takes a moment to catch her breath while she waits, only to spot a mysterious figure standing not far away. Before she can say anything or try to approach him, though, he vanishes, and seconds later so does the Houndoom accompanying him…

And now, chapter three of Monsters of the Machine

_**+Order Three: Attack!+**_

_"How the hell am I still alive?  
That's what I think every day.  
But more on that later.  
After all, this is just the intermission..."_

I stared at the spot the man had been standing seconds ago, lips pulling back in a silent snarl. He'd obviously been a Vampire: pale, thin, lean, and radiating an inhuman strength. The Houndoom with him must have been one he'd captured or befriended, being regular and not hellhound-y and such. That alone made me scowl darkly, seeing as most Pokemon couldn't stand the presence of a Vampire, especially dog Pokemon.

So surprised and concerned with this strange twist that I barely noticed the rush that signaled a successful Binding. The relief of no longer being tugged in four separate directions got through to me, though, and I blinked a few times as I looked at each of the four Pokemon. Then I faced Alucard, getting ready to tell him about the blonde-haired, immaculately-dressed Vampire I'd just seen.

He wasn't even looking at me, but was staring into the trees with a somewhat deranged smile spreading across his face. Without saying anything, he started forward, and I didn't bother even opening my mouth. It was apparent he'd noticed the other Vampire as well, and from his actions he obviously planned on finding out who they were and why they'd been watching us.

"Police-Girl and Bernadette are on their way," the Undead informed me as he walked off into the trees. A trace of excitement threaded through his voice as he spoke. "They'll be here in a few minutes to help get you and your Bound back to the mansion."

"But, hey, wait a minute! What are you…oh, never mind," I muttered, shaking my head as I watched Alucard walk away. I couldn't believe he was just going to leave like that, without bothering to come back with us and help give a report, something Integra had sprung on me as we left her office. Apparently, the woman was anal about keeping track of how missions went, and demanded both a verbal and written report from whoever was in charge of any given assignment. In this case, I was said whoever, and was also completely clueless on how to give a formal report on anything. Oh well, it couldn't be that hard.

A few moments passed, and finally Seras came puffing into view. Her orange Hellsing uniform was covered in snags and dirt, as well a few bits of leaf and branch. Her cropped ginger hair was also a little mussed, like she'd had a tumble down a hill. Her Espeon and Beedrill were close behind her and the only Pokemon still out of their Balls: she must have called back the Tanks in order to get to me faster. Both Pokemon cautiously avoided the ex-Vampiric ones lying on the ground, and I shook my head at their troubles.

"Don't worry, they're Bound now, completely normal and harmless," I said, then looked at Seras. She had blanched a little, which was kind of funny considering how pale she was to begin with.

"Oh dear…" she muttered, looking about the area and taking in the damage. "I thought it sounded like a pretty big battle…"

"Heh, yeah, you could call it that," I sighed, then painfully clambered to my feet-paws. Just as I stood, Pip came trotting into view, trailed by Guerrier. When he got close enough to see the gouges in the ground, the ripped-up trees, and the charred area in general, the French mercenary came to a dumbfounded halt and looked around. He let out a low whistle, absently toying with the long braid of dark brown hair he normally kept wrapped around his neck. His cowboy hat was set at an angle, like a strong gust of wind had knocked it askew, and his camouflage clothing was covered in mud. Even his black boots were filthy: the man looked like he'd swam through a giant mud puddle or something.

"What happened to you guys? You look like you're almost in as bad a shape as me," I said, stretching myself and groaning as I found numerous sore and tender muscles. Seras ducked her head a little, clasping her gloved hands before her and giving a little laugh.

"Well, we ran into a family of Bibarel, and they weren't very happy about being disturbed in the middle of the night," the fledgling replied. "A couple of them jumped on me and knocked me down, and I had a little tumble trying to get them off without hurting them."

"You got off lucky," Pip muttered sourly. "We ran into an Arbok zat must 'ave been looking for food. It got startled and launched a Mud Bomb at us. As you can see, it 'it its target pretty damn well."

"Er…where's Master?" Seras asked, which set Pip and the three Pokemon to looking around.

"There was someone, another Vampire, and a Houndoom," I answered slowly, turning to where Alucard had walked off into the woods. "He disappeared a few seconds after I noticed him. I guess Alucard went to try and find him."

"Another Vampire? How did he get past us?" Seras inquired, and I offered only a shrug.

"Well, I'm sure Mr. Ego can take care of himself at any rate. Right now, I'm more concerned with getting back to the mansion so I can get some rest, and some rest for these guys," I said, motioning to the four Pokemon lying around us. Seras nodded absently, and Pip clapped his hands together halfheartedly.

"Guerrier, can you take ze Riolu?"

_~Of course, Master,~_the jackal replied, before going to the two Riolu and tucking one beneath each arm. The careful, gentle way he carried them made it clear he sympathized with his un-evolved brethren. I couldn't help but wonder how many times he'd been toasted by some Fire move or another.

"Kiyon, can you use your psychic abilities to carry the Lickitung?" Seras asked, directing the question at her Espeon. The lavender-furred psychic cat nodded, and it was then I noticed the little Pokemon had four tufts of fur on each side of its face, marking it as a male. He then turned his attention to the barely-conscious Lickitung, swished his double-tipped tail once, and flicked an ear as the ruby jewel on his forehead began to glow. It was faint at first, then steadily grew brighter and stronger. When it reached its brightest, a faint red aura flickered to life around both of the Licking Pokemon. Seconds later the two were lifted into the air by the Espeon's psychic power.

"Maybe you should 'ave someone carry you, too. You look exhausted," Pip offered. Before I could object, the mercenary pulled out one of the special Balls holding a Tank, releasing the Pokemon from within. It soon revealed itself as an Aggron, which grumbled a little as it peered around.

=Now what?= it said, its deep, gravelly voice revealing it to be a male. His gaze passed over me without pausing, then swung back to me when Pip said, "Would you please carry Nee? She 'as 'ad a tough time of things."

=I ain't a horse,= the armored beast mumbled, but the words were spoken with good nature. I smiled a little as the large Pokemon trundled over to me, offering me its back.

"Thanks," I said gratefully, pulling myself onto the Aggron's wide back. After hooking my claws in the spaces in the Pokemon's armor, he shifted his weight and spread it over all fours.

=Don't get too comfy back there, kid. Like I said, I ain't a horse. I'm just doing this 'cause it's obvious you HAVE had a tough time of things. I'm gonna have the smell of tired in my snout for a week.=

I chuckled a little at that as I let my eyes slide shut, and before I knew it I had slipped into unconsciousness. It was disorienting: one moment I was resting against the cold yet oddly comfortable armor of an Aggron's back, the next I was floating in black nothingness. That wasn't so bad though, because the forms of Musa and Phaina were there.

=Nee!= Phaina cried upon noticing me. That strange absence of physics then took over, and within a breath she had crossed a distance that would have measured at least ten feet. Her little arms wrapped themselves around my left leg, and I couldn't help but smile and pat her head. Musa appeared beside my head a second later, twisting through the air crazily as he circled me.

=You did it!= the Ghost chimed merrily, and I cocked my head at him as he floated behind my head.

"Wait, how did you…?" I trailed off as I twisted to look behind me, and was somewhat surprised to find the forms of the Lickitung and Riolu there. Where had they come from?

=I'm…normal,= one of the Riolu muttered as it stared at its paws. By the softness of its voice, it was clearly a female. Beside her, the other Riolu, which I assumed to be a male due to the extra bulk and size it had compared to the first, stared in bewilderment at the other, then down at himself. A sort of awed expression came over him, and he suddenly flung his arms around the female, giving a delighted little laugh.

=Sister, we're pure again!= he announced, and the female responded with a joyful laugh of her own. =The Aura has returned to us, and so have ourselves.=

=What, exactly, is going on here?= one of the Lickitung demanded at that moment, and all of us turned to face him. The other nodded in agreement, glancing around in a nervous manner and looking ready to bolt at the first sign of trouble. Kind of funny, since there was really nowhere for it to run and all.

"You were all Vampiric before," I informed the four Pokemon. "Like Phaina here was." I motioned to where the Psyduck was still clinging to my leg. "When I Bound you, it cured you for some reason. We don't know why it works that way, it just does. Now, if any of you can tell me something about who did this to you, it might help us figure this whole thing out and put an end to it. All we know for certain at this point is that Vampires are behind it."

=Yes, filthy things,= the male Riolu spat, releasing his sister but keeping an arm around her shoulders, almost protectively. =They captured myself and my sister, ambushed us while we were foraging for food. They locked us in cramped cages, kept us separated in different rooms. Then…= Here the Pokemon seemed to deflate, as if all his willpower had vanished in the blink of an eye. =They hurt us, did painful things, and the worst was when they did…something…to the backs of our heads. We still had the Aura with us then, and could feel one another's pain and fear…then we were…_tainted_…and the Aura left us. In its place were madness and the horrible, maddening need.= The Pokemon shuddered here, as did his sister and the two Lickitung.

=It was so awful,= the up-till-now-silent Lickitung said. I was shocked to hear a lisping slur in his words, as this was the one with the severed tongue. Funny that something like that should be present in a place that wasn't physically real. =That urge, it only got worse and worse the longer I went without…= The Lickitung let his words trail off, looking highly distressed. The others nodded their heads in sympathetic agreement.

"And all of you had something painful, I mean really freaking painful, done to the backs of yours heads?" I asked, and the four nodded again. I shared a glance with Phaina and Musa, feeling like maybe we'd finally come across a major clue. Whatever the Vampires were doing to make Pokemon Vampiric, it evidently involved some sort of surgery that was done without any kind of numbing. It sounded terrible.

"What else can you remember? Anything at all, even if it seems completely irrelevant. We need all the information we can get to uncover these bastards and make them pay," I said, hoping my heated words would somehow inspire more helpful bits of knowledge to dislodge itself in the Pokemons' brains. The four of them gazed at one another, then slowly shook their heads.

=Really, the only other thing I can think of is that there were some De_Mon _with the Vampires that caught me,= the lisping Lickitung offered, and I bobbed my head as I made a mental note to tell Integra about that in my report. =And…they said something, some weird words that sounded funny, something that sounded like they were talking about newts, or whatever. I couldn't make much sense out of it, I was trying my best to get away from them, and there was a lot of shouting going on.=

"Well, we have more to go on now than we did before," I mused, rubbing my hand-paws together mindlessly as I pondered the implications of what I'd learned. Like what the Lickitung had said about the strange words the Vampires had been saying, I couldn't make much sense out of the new information that had been slapped into my lap. I would have to sit down, think about it, and try to piece everything together. I had the irritating feelings I was missing a lot of needed pieces to finish the puzzle, though.

=So…now what happens?= the female Riolu asked, cutting into my deep though process. I blinked a few times and smiled, shrugging casually.

"That, my small friend, is a very good question. I guess we should start with introducing ourselves?"

=I…the things I remember…aren't pleasant things like my name,= the little female jackal replied, her voice sad as she reached out to her brother. Silently, he grabbed her paw in one of his and bowed his head, his whole frame drooping. The Lickitung nodded, and the motions looked as if they caused the two physical pain.

=Just like with me,= Phaina said softly, grief tracing her words. =The things they do, the hurt they put you through…it's just so hard to hold onto the good, happy memories. It's too hard to think about all that stuff you had, when you're going though so much _hurt_. It's just easier to forgot, to let it all go.=

=Yes,= the brother Riolu responded, his voice barely audible. =Even though we are free, that we are ourselves and the Aura has returned to us…some things cannot be so quickly retrieved. We forced ourselves to let go in order to cope, and now, to try and get back what we lost…seems so impossible.=

"No," I insisted sharply, causing the Pokemon, Musa included, to start. "Don't EVER think like that! It just takes time is all! You've all been through hell, it's understandable what you're feeling and what you're going through. And you've also got to understand it'll take time to heal from all that. You don't remember now, you might not remember a year from now, but one day it'll start coming back to you, and then you'll know you can move on and let the past go. And don't be ashamed, for Aruseusu's sake! Like you said, you guys did what you had to in order to cope with the things that were being done to you. Don't you DARE be sorry or shameful for doing everything you could for holding on to life! It would have been a lot easier to hold on to those painful memories and drive yourselves into permanent madness or something crazy and stupid like that." I paused for a moment to catch my breath, then blew it out in a rush.

"Now then, you guys don't remember your names for now, so why don't you guys pick something that you like? I suggest something simple that we can all pronounce with relative ease."

And so the task of renaming the Pokemon began. It took an insanely long amount of time, because the four were constantly changing their minds about what they wanted to be called. I didn't understand why it was such a big deal, since the names were only temporary, but then again, they were names that the Pokemon might still be living with years from now. Best to choose something they wouldn't mind calling themselves until their memories kick-started themselves, I supposed.

Finally, the choices were made. The female Riolu choose Aurapaw, the male Auratail. It was kind of creepy, how obsessed these two with this whole "Aura" deal. Then I remembered that the social structures, emotional things, and just about every other aspect of life was ruled, or at strongly influenced, by the presence of Aura in the lives of all Riolu and Lucario. Still, did they actually have to name themselves after it?

The Lickitung chose more normal names, by Pokemon standards at least. The one with the severed tongue dubbed himself Cree, while the other took Ren as his new name. After that hassle was taken care of, I introduced myself, Phaina, and Musa, then explained things with help from the latter two.

=Must we really live in the same place as not just one, but _two _horrid Vampires?= Aurapaw asked disdainfully, and I smiled at her as I folded my legs beneath me. Phaina had finally detached herself from my leg, and was currently clinging to my left arm.

"Seras is pretty cool, actually. She's more like a human than a Vampire. Doesn't like the whole, "Gotta drink blood now" thing. In fact, I don't think she's had a single drop since she was turned, and it's been a while from what I understand."

=Unfortunately, we all know Alucard's reputation for not being nearly so likable,= Cree grumbled. =That freak's a nutcase and a half, if even a quarter of the rumors about him are true.=

"I find it hilarious that Alucard's infamous among even Pokemon," I said, ignoring the glares from my Bound. "I mean, come on. How many other Vampires do you guys actually hear about as often as him? Any? Just one? I don't know, it's just funny. He doesn't even bother Pokemon, he's the nightmare-turned-reality for troublesome non-humans, yet Pokemon all over the world know about him."

=He's just that kind of freak,= Cree said with a shrug moments later. I laughed at that, so hard that it made my chest and sides hurt.

"Oh God, he is," I said between gasping breaths and breathless laughter. "I swear he annoys me, drives me nuts, freaking arrogant and everything."

=As much fun as Alucard-bashing is, we're coming up on a boat of some kind, and our favorite verbal punching bag seems to be waiting for us,= Cree informed us, and I snorted loudly as I folded my arms over my chest. Vaguely I wondered when the Lickitung had regained enough consciousness to be that aware of his surroundings, and if he was walking on his own yet.

"Hah, Cree, Ren, do you know which of you fired that Hyper Beam that made Mr. Ego all paste-i-fied and such?" I asked, and Ren held up a paw as a grin crossed his face. I gave him a thumbs-up, earning a giggle from Phaina and a smile from the others. "And that boat is the one we came in on, so that's the one we're taking back."

Afterwards, we fell into companionable silence, and I felt the bond between myself and the four new Bound already growing stronger. I found myself wondering what it would be like, if I should lose one of them. I remembered how infuriated, how grief-stricken, Musa had been after the death of Boka. Then I realized with a sharp pang that I would be just as hurt, angry, and heartbroken as the Ghost had been, if any of my Bound were to die. It was hard to explain, but the bond that formed between a De_Mon_ and their Bound was a deep and powerful thing. I had heard of De_Mon_s gleefully sending hundreds of Summoned to their deaths without a single tear, but never had I heard of a De_Mon_ putting their Bound in danger. I'd never really thought about it before, since I'd never had any Bound of my own, but now…it had to mean something. That even something as wicked and twisted as a normal De_Mon_ could feel something as raw and emotional as a true bond to another living being…the fact struck me hard at that moment, and I found myself with an unpleasant idea. Those humans who knew about, or at least believed in, the existence of Vampires saw them as vicious killers, bloodthirsty monsters who all deserved to die. In reality, Vampires were just doing what they needed to in order to survive, and humans are far from being at the top of the food chain. To be feared, hated, and hunted for their nature alone…maybe, just maybe, I'd been doing the same thing with other De_Mon_s. They weren't natural by any means, but they were still ruled by nature. Maybe I was no better than all those humans with misplaced hate of anything or one different. Of course De_Mon_s were killers, murders, liars, corrupt in more ways than I cared to think about. But then again, so were many humans, Pokemon, and other non-human beings. Were any of us truly much better than anyone else…?

=Nee?= Musa inquired gently, and I startled at the sound of his voice, quiet as it was. I blinked twice, noticing that the others were all staring at me with worried looks. I smiled tightly at them, all four of my black wings twitching, blue tail jerking back and forth. I rubbed the thick, skin-colored scales on my arms, patted the arm-fins protruding from the tops of my arms, ran a hand-paw through my golden main, and rubbed my blue, Garchompian legs vigorously. The others watched in curious silence, and when I was done with the little ritual, I blew out a slow breath and smiled, more naturally this time.

=Are you okay?= Phaina asked, and I nodded at her as my wings ceased twitching and I wrapped my tail around my thin, lean waist.

"Yeah, I'm fine. I just kinda got lost in some unsettling thoughts, and going through those motions I did just now helps relax me when I'm getting upset. It reminds me that I'm not a monster like other De_Mon_s, and they are definitely monsters…" But I couldn't really bring myself to believe that, not now. The others adopted confused expressions, and I told them about the thoughts I'd had. When I finished, Auratail moved forward and placed his paws on my knees.

=Those are brave words, and a braver truth to face,= he said softly. =We all do what we must in order to survive, and for others, it is simply more violent and vile. Still, even though they are living as their natures intend, it does not make them right, or good. De_Mon_s might be living as they must, but remember that nearly all of them have murdered hundreds, if not thousands, of innocents. Humans and Pokemon, Vampires and others have done this as well, yes, but not like the De_Mon_s have. Their nature is a twisted one, defiling this world. As much as I dislike Vampires, I'll admit they are not as bad as the warped things that have stolen the lives and bodies of fellow Pokemon. Where most other races and species can deal with and even, sadly, grow to like death and destruction, De_Mon_s thrive on it, simply cannot get enough of it. That kind of nature simply must be destroyed, because it not only mindlessly kills others, it would eventually kill itself anyways.

=And yes, you are not like them. Even if you are Benign, there is something else about you that is different. You are more Pokemon than De_Mon_, more Demon than Pokemon. You are special. But you must always remember that other De_Mon_s, unlike Vampires and others, are truly and wholly unnatural. Nothing like that should exist, but there are more paradoxes existing than most know of.=

I nodded slowly, taking in the wise words of the little jackal. The others, save Aurapaw, looked a little jealous that they hadn't been able to come up with some noble speech, but none of them had anything to add.

"Thanks," I said, feeling a little more at ease now. Still, I couldn't shake the feeling that Auratail didn't grasp the full gravity of my new predicament. How could I explain how there must be something, something humane, something _normal_, in De_Mon_s, if they could all feel connected to their Bound, actually feel something good? Still, I decided it was a problem I could dwell upon later, when there weren't more pressing issues to worry about.

"So, has Mr. Ego said anything about the Vampire he went galumphing after?"

=I didn't hear him mention anything about it,= Cree said, and I sighed a little.

"I'll have to ask him when I wake up. In the meantime, I should start preparing the report I need to give Integra. No better time than the present, right?"

Not a second after speaking those words, I felt myself being roused into wakefulness. I blinked groggily as I came to, once again disoriented by the abrupt changes in environment, then let out a somewhat feeble growl at Alucard, who was still shaking me roughly.

"Whaddahell…?" I grumbled as I sat up, knocking the Vampire's hand away. The Undead gave a vicious little smile as he settled back, satisfied that I was awake.

"We have a report to prepare."

"For Aruseusu's sake!" I snarled irritably, and was unable, despite myself, to hold back a little laugh when Pip recoiled away from me a bit. "I was just getting ready to do that."

"But you were knocked out cold!" the Frenchmen objected. "'Ow could you get ready for anything?"

"Long story," I answered, then focused my attention on Alucard. "What about that Vampire…?"

"Gone," Alucard replied casually, though I could sense the subtle signs of annoyance plastered all over him. The faint tensing, a slight clench of the jaw, a barely perceivable narrowing of the eyes, the barest tightening of his hands on one another as he held them folded in his lap. He was pissed that he had lost the other Vampire, and again I felt another foolish wave of triumph rise within me. Thought himself so great and mighty and all-knowing, yet he hadn't been able to find the Vampire that had been watching us. Hah!

"Integra won't be happy," I said, mustering as much seriousness as I could into my voice. "I mean sure, we got the Pokemon, and that was the mission, but man, the fact that we managed to lose someone who was freaking spying on us, and shouldn't have even been able to get by Seras and Pip without being noticed at all…" At this, Alucard simply shrugged, like Integra being angry wasn't anything big. Mind you, he's nuttier than a Pachirisu. Even in the few days I'd stayed at the Hellsing mansion, I'd come to learn that an angry Integra was a scary-and-mean-as-hell Integra. I winced when I heard her yelling at others. I could only imagine how much worse it would be to have all that unhealthy ire directed at me.

"The mission was a success," Alucard continued, sounding bored. "We arrived at the park, proceeded forward, and eventually split up. Police-Girl to the front, Bernadette to the back. Soon afterwards, you and I were attacked by four Vampiric Pokemon, not two. We were ambushed from the treetops. I was temporarily taken out of commission, while you battled alone until I was able to join you. After the battle, you Bound the targets, and an intruder was spotted. A Vampire, to be exact, accompanied by a Houndoom. Before interrogation could take place, both vanished. Giving chase yielded no results."

I sat for a moment, and I hate to admit it, but I was pretty impressed. To come up with a formal report so quickly and effortlessly…well, if he could do it, then no doubt I could as well. I mean, after all, it was pretty much just stating what had happened and what you'd learned during any giving amount of time, right?

I cleared my throat, nodded at Cree, who was pretty much fully conscious by this point, and said, "On top of that, I've learned that the Vampires who are making Pokemon Vampiric are definitely doing it via some sort of surgery. Cree and the others here told me they've all had horribly painful things carried out on the backs of their heads. Once we reach land, I'll check for scars on them like the one Phaina has.

"Also, none of them remember anything about their pasts. Like Phaina, the things they were put through made it extremely difficult to keep on remembering the good things in their lives, so they gave up those memories in order to cope with what they were going through.

"And with Cree here, at least, there were De_Mon_s present when he was captured. So far, it seems all the Vampiric Pokemon have been captured by either Vampires or De_Mon_s. No humans or other races involved, at least not as far as I can tell."

"Wait…when did you learn all zis, and 'ow? You conked out after you got on ze Aggron's back!" Pip exclaimed, shaking his head. I smiled at the confused man and shrugged.

"Again, long story. I'll explain later."

The rest of the trip back was made in silence. I allowed myself to drift off, and was just dropping off into normal sleep when I was jerked awake by the jolt of our boat striking something solid. I half-expected an angry Gyarados to rear out of the water in front of us, but it turned out to just be the dock. After a bit of effort, the lot of us was out of the ship and on land once again.

Shaking off the last bits of sleep, I quickly checked the back of Cree's head. As expected, there was a large, ugly-looking scar twisting across the base of his skull, and it was about the same size as Phaina's. Checks on the others revealed the same thing: thick, raised scars that looked as if the wounds that had caused them had been horrendous to endure.

Soon enough we were back at the Hellsing mansion. Even though I wanted nothing more than to reunite with Musa and Phaina, then collapse in my bed and pass out for several hours, I instead trudged after Alucard as he headed toward Integra's office. Oh well, better to get the angry-Integra thing done and over with.

However, as we walked down the hallway towards Integra's office, Kreil's massive form exited the door we were headed towards. He looked ready to walk off, but he must have spotted us from the corner of his eyes. He turned abruptly to face us, clapping his hands together and emitting a small explosion as they collided.

"Nee!" he exclaimed as he strode towards us. "Phaina's x-ray has developed! I was just letting Sir Integra know."

"Anything interesting?" I asked

"Very," the doctor replied as we came upon Integra's office. Alucard opened the door without bothering to knock, and I hesitantly followed after him. It felt odd to just barge in like this…"There's something in the flesh that looks like it's been placed in the bone at the base of the skull. Whatever it is, it's small and made mostly of a dense metal, with what looks like thick plastic in certain places."

"What do you think it is?"

"It could be anything. With your permission, I'd like to remove it so we can find out what it is. It could be something very important, or something completely trivial."

"I doubt it's trivial," I said as Alucard stopped before Integra's desk, nodding his head at the young woman sitting behind it. "The Pokemon I Bound all have scars just like Phaina's, and I'll bet anything that whatever it is in her head is in their heads too. At any rate, go ahead and take it out, if you can. I'll bring her to your office when I'm done here."

"Right-o," Kreil replied, then hurried out of the office. I supposed he was heading off to get things ready. As Kreil shut the door, I went over to stand by Alucard.

"Your report?" Integra asked simply, and I nodded at her as I took in a breath and basically repeated the same things I'd said on the boat earlier. Then I quickly went over what I remembered Alucard had said on the boat and added in his part of the report as well. Integra nodded slowly as she laced her fingers together, resting her chin against her hands as she watched me. Alucard was watching me as well, a small smile playing on his lips. I couldn't tell whether he was impressed or annoyed, but I didn't care. I wanted to get this over with as soon as possible so I could see Musa and Phaina, get the latter taken care of by Kreil, and get some rest. Cree and the others were doing that already, so I would go meet up with them later after I got some sleep.

"From what you just told Kreil, you believe whatever is in Phaina's head is also in the heads of the four Pokemon you Bound tonight."

"Yeah, they all have scars just like Phaina, and they all said they went through pretty much the same things she did. Being captured, held in cramped quarters, put through hell, all that. I told Kreil to remove whatever the thing is, if he can. I'll ask him to x-ray the others too, you know, make sure about things I'm sure about." Integra smiled a little at this, inclining her head as she sat back and dropped her hands into her lap.

"Very well. Now, you look relatively tired. Go get some rest. I'm sure Phaina and Musa are eager to see you, as well." I nodded once, then turned and walked out of the room. I was aware of the fact that Alucard remained behind, but that was none of my business. Maybe he had things to add to what I'd said.

I was halfway to my room when I realized Integra hadn't gotten angry when I'd told her about the mystery Vampire. I found that a little odd, considering some of the minor things she would erupt over. I shook my head a little as I climbed a flight of stairs. Humans were so hard to understand sometimes…

Finally, I reached my room and pushed the door open. It took less than two seconds for Phaina and Musa to notice me: Phaina was lying on my bed, and Musa was hovering over her head. They both looked nervous and twitchy, which changed rapidly as I stepped into the room. It was almost like I was in that physics-less blackness: one moment the two Pokemon were across the room, the next they had crossed that distance in what had to be record time. Phaina did her customary ritual of attaching herself to my nearest leg, while Musa shoved himself against my right shoulder. I laughed as I greeted both of them, glad to finally be back with them. It had only been a few hours, yeah, but it had seemed like an eternity. There was a lot to this bond between Pokemon and De_Mon_s that I was still learning about. I made a note to ask Musa later on why it was so hard to be away from my Bound.

=Where are the others?= Phaina asked after looking around. I bent down to scoop her up as I smiled a little.

"They're resting up in another room," I told her. "It seemed better to let them get some sleep as soon as possible, instead of dragging them all over the mansion to my room. Once we're all refreshed, I'll introduce them to you guys properly. For now, Kreil wants to see you, Phaina."

=Why?=

"Your x-ray finally processed, and there's something in your head. He's gonna take it out, if he can. I want him to check the others too, since they have scars like yours and went through the same things. I'll bet anything that they have the same things in their heads that you have."

=It seems we are finally beginning to get somewhere,= Musa commented merrily as we exited the room and started for Kreil's office. I nodded in agreement, but was more worried about when we'd finally reach the end of this mystery.

The sooner we figured all this out and put an end to it, the better…

* * *

_"Strike back,  
Then you strike back, breaking the spell  
Strike back,  
You strike back, blasting the cell_

_Back against the wall, you know you won't fall_  
_On your knees, no, not at all..."_

Days passed.

Kreil removed the thing from the back of Phaina's head, which turned out to be some sort of chip thing. I'd been present through Phaina's surgery, watched as Kreil had pulled the blood-streaked, metallic square from my Bound's head. It was thick, and by what Kreil said, thicker than any other kind of chip he'd ever seen. The thing had been passed to Walter for the old man to study. Apparently, he was not only a butler, a Pokemon Trainer, a soldier of Hellsing, and a weapons designer, he was also a tech man of sorts. All-around handy-man. Too bad I still didn't trust him, not since that episode back in Kreil's office.

In the days that went by, Kreil also x-rayed Cree and the others, and found they, too, had those odd chips in their heads. He removed them, though he had a hard time piercing the steel hide of the Riolu siblings. I wound up wondering how steel flesh could heal itself, how steel could even form flesh. Several hours later, though, I gave up on trying to make sense of it. Some things about Pokemon were just too bizarre to ever understand, even for a De_Mon_.

There were few incidents, and none involving Vampiric Pokemon. Mostly it was just the regular problematic Vampire that needed disposing, though there was one in which a Lycan was terrorizing a small town. In the end, it took several blasts from a shotgun loaded with blessed silver bullets to bring the thing down.

One evening the day after Cree and the others had the chips removed from their heads, myself and my Bound were out wandering through the woods that grew behind the Hellsing mansion. It was peaceful and relaxing, not at all like the trek through the woods of the recreational park. Then, I was expecting a major battle. Tonight, I was simply enjoying the company of my Bound.

"Hey Musa, why is it so hard for me to be away from you guys for too long?" I asked as we walked, and the Ghost did a few lazy spins in the air as he answered.

=The linking and merging of our souls is a deeper thing than you might first think. The longer the souls are connected, the more like one they become. I've head of De_Mon_s and their Bound being unable to leave one another for ten minutes without suffering serious physical pain. Over time, it's like being separated from a part of your spirit, which I suppose is pretty much the gist of it.=

=It's hard for us, too,= Phaina put in. =I hope you don't ever have to go off on your own like that again. I don't think I would be able to stand it.=

=From what I've heard, it's not as bad for a De_Mon_ who has a lot of Bound,= Ren said. =I guess as long as long as some of them are with their De_Mon_, the lot of them can stand being away from one another for a while. But only for so big a distance.=

=There's much to this bond we don't know about,= Aurapaw commented sagely. =But there is always time to learn, and as long as we are together, then we shall learn together.=

We fell back into silence after that, ambling along through the moonlit woods. The scent of loam and rich earth was strong in the air, most likely because of the showers that had been falling since the previous day. The ground beneath my feet-paws was slick and wet, slightly cold but quickly warming up. It was summer, after all. All around us were the sounds of an invigorated environment: it seemed that after a good bit of rainfall, places like woods and such always seemed to pulse with more life than usual.

We soon came upon a tiny clearing, most of which was taken up by a pond. The moonlight was reflecting off the still water, and we went over to have a drink and take a small rest. Phaina, being a Water Pokemon, decided to also have a swim. Not a minute after entering the pond was she splashing about happily, drawing the attention of a group of Quagsire that apparently called this pond home. Luckily, the Pokemon were as easygoing as the rest of their species, and soon they and Phaina were romping about.

I watched their antics, feeling content and happy. Sure, we were having more downtime, and yeah, I wanted to get to the bottom of the Vampiric Pokemon thing and stop whoever was doing such awful things. But for the moment, I was happy to just relax.

Then I noticed Aurapaw and Auratail both looking back in the direction of the mansion. They were standing stiff-legged and rigid, their tails lifted high, ears swiveled to the front. The black protrusions on the backs of the heads were vibrating madly. Something was clearly upsetting them, and I scowled as I stood and went over to them.

"What's up?" I asked. "You guys seem tense about something."

=Something…is not right,= Aurapaw replied, her words tight with anxiety. =The Aura is being disturbed around the mansion.=

"Eh, what do you mean by "disturbed," exactly?"

=We should head back,= Auratail answered, his voice just as strained as his sister's. =I do not like this, not-= The little jackal cut himself off suddenly, giving a little choking noise as he stumbled back a few paces. Beside him, Aurapaw let out a breathless gasp and clapped her paws over her head, as if trying to ward of a feared blow. Worried, I knelt between them and placed a hand-paw on their backs. Moments later, the others were standing around us, and I could sense the concern radiating from them.

=Such…power!= Auratail sputtered a moment later, shaking his head. =To affect the Aura like that…=

"What's going on?" I prodded, worried for the two Riolu, but also worried about what might be going on back at the mansion.

=A Gardevoir, a Gardevoir is attacking the mansion, along with a Sneasal and a Vulpix!= Aurapaw offered, visibly shaken from whatever she and Auratail had just experienced. =Just now, she must have sensed us watching her somehow. She let off a burst of Psychic energy that managed to temporarily rend the Aura!=

"How is something like that even possible?"

=Psychic energy and the Aura are very closely related. Both are kinetic and based on energy, and one can easily be affected by the other is the opposing force is great enough,= Aurapaw explained. =But it isn't important. Right now we must return to the mansion!=

"Right, you two go on ahead," I ordered, and the two Riolu nodded sharply before leaping away. I turned to the others and grabbed Phaina, who was looking downright terrified. I nodded at Cree and Ren, asking, "Exactly how strong are those tongues of yours?"

=I think that should be pretty clear, considering I almost strangled you with mine,= Cree said. =And even though a good quarter of it is missing now, well, I think it's got some muscle left in it.=

"Good. Both of you, wrap your tongues around my waist. I can carry you guys easier that way. Musa, how fast can you go?"

=As fast as I must,= the Ghost replied somberly. I didn't reply, but instead unfolded my four wings, stretching them and preparing for a tough flight. Not only would I have to move as fast as I possibly could, I'd be carrying over a hundred pounds of extra weight. I honestly wasn't even sure my wings could deal with it: with a twenty-foot wingspan, I was able to carry myself with relative ease. I'm no bird, you know, or a real Dragon. My bones aren't hollow and light. I need large, powerful wings to get my bulk in the air and keep it there.

All the same, I had to try. If I couldn't carry all of them, I'd have to let Cree and Ren go on foot and catch up with us. That idea didn't appeal to me though, so I was determined to get all of us there together.

After a few moments, I motioned for the two Lickitung to latch on. They shot one another a peculiar look, like this was just about the weirdest thing they'd ever had to do. Then they stepped closer and opened their jaws, thick tongues shooting out with amazing speed and winding around my waist. I have to admit that it was much grosser than I thought it would be. The appendages were hot, drool-covered, and pulsing on the bottom. It was worse now than when Cree had tried to suffocate me a few days ago. I winced, feeling the numbing effects of the saliva start going to work on my waist. I hadn't thought about that…

Without waiting any longer, I crouched and pumped my wings a few times, gaining strength and momentum with each beat. When I was satisfied I'd built up enough power, I lunged into the air on a downward stroke, shooting into the air. A few more strokes took me above the forest, Musa zipping along beside me. Phaina gave a squeal, whether of excitement or fear, I couldn't tell. Dangling about a foot below me, Cree and Ren gave slurred exclamations as they swung back and forth. Not knowing how long their tongues could hold their weight, not knowing how long my wings could keep us airborne, I quickly got my bearings and leveled out, soaring in the direction of the mansion.

It took only a few minutes for my wings to begin tiring, which was a bit longer than I thought they'd last. The mansion was sitting in the near distance, getting closer with every beat of my wings, but it still seemed so far away. I cursed silently, forcing my wings to keep moving. The tiredness quickly turned to pain, a burn that spread from my wings to my sides, and from there to my back and chest.

As we drew closer, I could hear the madness that was going on in the mansion. It seemed like the attack was taking place inside, since there was no commotion I could see going on anywhere else. The bright flashes of guns being fired illuminated various windows, yells and screamed curses were coming nonstop, booming gunfire making my ears hurt. Then a gout of brilliant orange flames exploded from one window, taking with it two Hellsing officers. I watched, horror-struck, as the flaming men tumbled through the air before meeting the ground with sickening thuds. Neither of them moved, and neither had made any noise as they'd fallen. Most likely, they'd died the moment those searing flames had struck them.

Phaina whimpered as she tried her best to burrow into my flesh, terror pouring from her in waves. I tried to think of something to comfort her, but no gentle words would come from me. All I wanted to do was rage, scream that all this was pointless, that all this mindless fighting and killing was useless. Of course, it would do no good to throw a tantrum, so I didn't waste the energy on it.

Then, as I was getting ready to land, my wings seized up with a painful wrench. I grunted in shock, tried my best to get my wings beating again, but they had reached their limit long ago. The muscles were locked up and wouldn't be working again for some time. Unfortunately, we were at least a hundred or so feet in the air, though that altitude was quickly being lost.

"Damn!" I shouted, worried more for Phaina and the Lickitung than for myself. I'd taken falls before, from greater heights mind you, and walked away from the resulting impact with Ms. Earth. Sure, I'd needed several days of healing after most of those graceless crashes, but that's besides the point. Phaina and the others couldn't heal like I could, and their bodies weren't capable of absorbing as great a deal of physical damage. A fall from this height would surely kill them.

As we fell, Phaina started whining loudly. Cree and Ren were shouting something in Kaalith, most of which sounded like some serious profanities. Musa was silent as he zoomed towards the ground with us, and I could tell the levelheaded Ghost was trying to think of something to ensure the rest of us walked away from this in one piece. Then he stopped for an instant, a satisfied look crossing the Spiritomb's face.

=Nee, catch the wind, you can make it to that window if you can catch the wind!= he called, and I struggled to right myself from my freefall to see what window he was talking about. Sure enough, there was one of those glassless windows about twenty feet below us and about the same distance away. Gritting my fangs and desperate to do something to save my Bound, I leveled myself again and tilted the upper part of my body towards the ground. My wings had locked up at the peak of their upward stroke, so I was trying to get them as level with the ground as I could. At the very least, doing that would allow me to get into a glide.

It took several tries, but finally I managed. We were just above the window now, and as we soared in through it I whirled, so Phaina wouldn't be crushed against the wall we were about to hit. Seconds later, the momentum from the improvised dive was abruptly taken away. My back crashed into the wall hard enough to snap the fragile bones in all four of my wings, as well as send the air in my lungs whooshing out in a painful wheeze. Not five seconds later, Cree and Ren slammed into my stomach, further winding me and causing me to gag as the Pokemon rolled off me onto the floor. Musa darted in moments later as I sank to the floor, pain stabbing at me from my shattered wings and abused back. No doubt I had some impressive bruising going on back there right about now.

=Nee!= the Ghost exclaimed, looking stricken. =Your wings…=

"Yee-ah," I gasped as I let Phaina go, feeling Cree and Ren unwrap their tongues from my waist as they shakily got to their feet. I blinked when I saw the long appendages streaked with blood, then realized they must have been torn up when I'd hit the wall. The two Pokemon were clearly in quite a bit of pain, but drew their injured tongues back into their mouths and watched me with troubled expressions.

=Nee…?= Phaina said, her voice small and fearful. I smiled at her a bit, ignoring the shrieking pain in my wings and back, as well as the beginnings of what was going to be a hell of a stitch in both my sides. Steeling myself, I pulled myself to my feet-paws, my wings limp and dragging on the floor.

"We…gotta find…Aurapaw and Auratail…and help fight the Pokemon…" I panted. "Come on…"

We started off, following the sounds of shouting and gunfire. The thick scents of blood, death, gunpowder, and erratic emotions combined into a wholly unpleasant assault on my tender nose. Throw in the smell of smoldering flesh and clothes, courtesy of the Vulpix that was here somewhere, and it became downright stomach-churning.

As we went, I concentrated on healing my wings and back. Not enough to fully mend them, but enough to stitch the bones together and heal the shredded muscles and flesh. Mostly it was to take away the pain: it was hard to focus on fighting when you were getting smacked stupid by good ol' agony.

We rounded a corner, just in time to nearly get caught in the path of a towering pillar of crackling flames. Luckily, it veered crazily to the left, sending a wave of heat at us as it slammed into a wall. The spinning vortex quickly ground itself out against the stone, leaving the charred remains of what looked like a person. Honestly though, it could have been a Pokemon, a Humanshape one. The body was so badly burnt up it was difficult to tell.

I turned from the smoking corpse to see the Vulpix that had obviously released the deadly Fire Spin attack. The little fire-fox was surrounded by Hellsing officers and their various Pokemon, though many of them looked like they were injured. Currently the auburn-furred thing was yowling insanely, its six curly tails whipping through the air like angry snakes. As it whirled back and forth, the three large curls of lush fur between its ears fell into its vicious crimson eyes, which seemed to make it all the more angry.

"Waters up!" one of the soldiers hollered, and the eight or so Water Pokemon that were present stepped forward. "Fire!" At this command, the owners of the Pokemon each ordered their partners to use Hydro Pump. I watched, certain the Vulpix would not only be knocked out, but probably drowned, and couldn't help but feel sorry for the little thing. It hadn't asked for this, and now it was going to end up badly injured, maybe even dead, for something it couldn't help.

As the massive bullets of crystal-blue water roared towards the little fox, it let out an even louder shriek and crouched against the floor. A glow surrounded its body, faint at first, but then growing stronger and fiercer. Just as the Hydro Pumps reached the Vulpix, it rolled underneath the gap between the water bullets and the floor, much to everyone's surprise.

=They're getting smarter,= Musa said softly, his tone tight. =They're still mad, but they're getting smarter. Not fighting blindly, like they were in the past…= I nodded slowly, knowing exactly what he meant. I didn't know about the Gardevoir or the Sneasal, but they were most likely as Vampiric as the glowing Vulpix that was now getting to its paws. Behind and beside it, the Hydro Pump attacks collided and exploded into a fountain of water, which fell to the floor with a splash seconds later. This resulted in the Vulpix getting a bit wet, and I swear the thing looked damn ready to explode from fury.

Then it did explode. Not literally, I mean. But the glow around it grew so bright it made my eyes sting and water. Then the glow was replaced by a colossal wall of glittering white flames, which erupted from the Vulpix's small body. Heat flowed from the wall, almost as intense as Baskerville's odd purple fire, and the roaring it was giving off made my ears ring.

I watched, dumbfounded, as several soldiers and Pokemon closest to the flaming wall were killed by the heat alone. They dropped heavily, while the other soldiers shouted and turned to run, their Pokemon right behind them. Some of the Pokemon refused to leave, though: a few of the dead soldiers were probably their Trainers.

"MOVE!" I screamed at them, because the Heat Wave attack wasn't over yet. The Pokemon ignored me, though, too angry and grief-stricken by the loss of their Trainers to listen to reason. Seconds later, they ended up joining their humans as the wall of white fire expanded, then imploded violently. The resulting blast of heat was so strong it turned the stone it touched black, seared away the flesh and muscles and organs from the bodies it washed over, leaving only blackened skeletons in its wake.

As the shimmering wave of death came at us, I grabbed Phaina, pushing Cree and Ren back around the corner and quickly following them. Musa turned incorporeal just as the wave passed over him, and seconds later I felt it hit the wall in front and to the side of us. It was a like a deep thrum in my body, and then an aftershock of heat rolled over me. It wasn't that bad, though it was nowhere near pleasant. Though Phaina and I weren't affected by it much, me being part Dragon and her being Water, Cree and Ren made noises of discomfort in their throats as they shuffled back a few more paces.

Finally, the heat dissipated, and we crept back around the corner to see most of the soldiers and Pokemon were now dead. Some were horribly injured, and probably dying even as I looked at them. I saw several figures lying farther down the hall: apparently, the Heat Wave had moved a lot faster than the fleeing soldiers and Pokemon had. There'd been no chance for them once the Vulpix had released the attack.

As I forced myself not to gag on the heavy smell of burnt flesh, hair, and fabric, I set Phaina on the floor and stared at the fire-fox. It had its back to me, having turned around at some point, and was snapping at the air like crazy. The sight reminded me of a rabid dog I'd seen once.

"All right, I need some of you to go help out with the other Pokemon that are supposed to be here," I said quietly, my eyes never leaving the Vulpix as it bit at nothing and started barking.

=I can move faster, and through the walls and floor,= Musa said as he floated near my head, still insubstantial. =Cree and the others should stay to help you, though. This Vulpix is old: she's seen a lot of battles. That Heat Wave is proof of her strength.=

"Be careful," I muttered as the Ghost rose higher into the air, soon vanishing through the ceiling. I stared at the place he'd gone through for a moment, then lowered my gaze back to the Vulpix.

=What now?= Phaina asked, and even though there was still fear in her voice, there was also a determination that hadn't been present before. I smiled a little, opened my mouth, and sucked in a deep breath. I then saturated the air in my lungs with energy, and the next moment I shot out a glittering stream of brilliant yellow energy. The Dragonbreath attack popped and crackled as it crossed the space between myself and my target, which gave it away rather quickly. One of the Vulpix's large ears flicked back towards me, then the fire-fox whirled as her hackles rose.

Before she could do anything, my attack struck her full in the face. The Pokemon yelped in anger and shock as she was blown off her paws, landing on her back a foot or so away and rolling another several inches. She came to a stop and laid there for a moment, dazed, and I took the opportunity.

"If she starts glowing, I don't care what you have to do, don't let her fire off another Heat Wave!" I shouted. "Phaina, use a Confusion attack to keep her occupied, Cree and Ren, I want both of you to hit her with Rollout attacks. If we keep on her and don't give her a chance to retaliate, we can get done with her quick and go help the others!"

=Right!= the three Pokemon chimed, and as the Vulpix stumbled to her paws, Phaina's eyes started to glow purple. Seconds later, she lifted a paw and flicked it at the enraged fox down the hall, enveloping her in an amethyst haze of Psychic energy. Then, without the slightest hint of effort, Phaina lifted our foe into the air as the Vulpix began howling. She was crazy before, but I knew firsthand just how disorienting Phaina's Confusion attack was. That Vulpix was probably going to need some serious psychological therapy when this was all said and done.

Meanwhile, Cree and Ren both began to spin in place. Soon they had worked up enough speed to become large pink blurs, and on some unknown signal they both shot forward. I had no idea how they could aim or steer while moving so fast, but somehow both of them avoided hitting Phaina or the walls as they spun down the hallway. Phaina, smart little duck that she was, lowered the Vulpix in her mental grip enough so Ren and Cree's attacks would hit. Once, twice, the fox was struck by the powerful spinning blows dealt by the two Lickitung.

It seemed like the battle would be over sooner than I'd thought. The Vulpix fell silent after the second Rollout hit her, and I paused in the middle of the Dragon Rush I'd been preparing. It looked like she'd fainted, and I wasn't about to unleash anything else on her if she was no longer a threat. Slowly, I walked down the hall to where the little Pokemon was still being held in the air by Phaina's Confusion. Cree and Ren spun into view, abruptly ending their Rollout attacks and coming to a stop beside me.

=Is she-= Ren started, but before he could finish his question, the Vulpix snapped her head up and snarled viciously. Without any further warning, she somehow managed to execute a flip, sending a sudden wave of inky energy flying from her entire body. I don't know how she managed to use the Payback move to begin with, but once the Dark energy was released, it easily destroyed the Confusion attack. Free once more, the Vulpix landed in a crouch as she growled loudly. The Payback move, spent from canceling Phaina's attack, ended before it could hurt any of us. Which couldn't be said for the fire-fox.

Ren was the closest to the infuriated Pokemon, and therefore the one who received her wrath. In the blink of an eye, the fox had thrown herself at the Lickitung. The Quick Attack ended as Ren gave a startled little squeal, trying to shake his assailant off. The Vulpix had dug her claws in, though, and hung on as she unleashed a hasty Flamethrower right in Ren's face. Screeching in pain, the Lickitung toppled over and hit the ground as the fox clinging to him snapped at his throat and shoulders. Within seconds, bloody gouges had been torn open in Ren's upper body, though thankfully his throat was still intact.

=Get OFF him!= Phaina cried shrilly from down the hall, and her words were followed by a roaring orb of water that tore by me seconds later. The Hydro Pump slammed into the Vulpix, sending her flying into a nearby wall. The collision was a painful-sounding one, as the fire-fox hit the wall with a faint thud. She then collapsed to the ground, growling faintly.

Ignoring her for the moment, I rushed to Ren's side and dropped to my knees, fear writhing in me. Phaina and Cree joined me, both of them looking as terror-struck as I felt.

=My eyes!= Ren was crying, his paws clutching at his face. He seemed unaware of the wounds to his shoulders and chest, which weren't as bad as they'd looked moments ago. =My eyes…= He then started cursing in Kaalith, moaning and rocking back and forth.

"Ren, move your paws," I said, sounding more calm than I felt. Gently, I reached out and pried his paws from his face, then felt my stomach do a painful twist. Cree and Phaina gasped in horror, and Phaina started crying softly.

Ren's face above his nose was nothing but a mass of burnt, twisted flesh, blackened from the heat of the flames that had inflicted the injury. Pus and blood were leaking from the mess, and layers of dead flesh were clinging to the Lickitung's paws. Yellow fat bubbled in a few places, mainly under the Pokemon's ruined eyes. The sight made me feel sick, and even as I racked my brain for a way to help my Bound, he started slurring his words and rocking less.

"No!" I shouted, but it was no good. Ren's slurred speech dissolved into senseless gurgling, and his rocking switched to violent spasms. I had no idea what was happening, other than Ren was most certainly dying, and I didn't have a clue as to help him.

=Shock,= Cree said numbly, staring at the perishing Lickitung on the floor. =I saw it before. His injuries are making him go into shock, and…= Here he made a strangled noise, and when he started talking again, his voice was shaking as bad as I was. =He's gone. We can't do anything…= At these words, Phaina started crying harder, and I couldn't hold back an angry sob of my own. I had wondered what it would be like to lose a Bound. Now I was finding out, and I hated it.

A few seconds went by, and Ren fell still. His breath came in short, labored gasps, and I gathered my poor, dying friend into my lap. Getting his head off the floor didn't seem to help his breathing, though, and he just kept sucking in air like he wasn't getting enough. Some part of me said to just let him go, that I needed to Bind the Vulpix and go help with the other two Pokemon that were somewhere in the mansion. But I couldn't bring myself to just abandon the Lickitung and leave him to die alone.

The seconds ticked by, and about two minutes later, Ren let out a wheezing sigh. It took me a moment to realize that had been his last breath, and that he was dead. I sat there, arms around his body, unable to believe that he was gone. Unable to bring myself to let him go. I don't know how long I sat there, holding him, but after a time I felt pressure on my right shoulder. I turned and blankly stared at Cree, who had tears running down his face.

=Gone,= he whispered. =Nee, he's gone…=

I looked away from the grieving Lickitung, back down into the slack, mutilated face of the dead one I still held in my lap. Slowly, I lowered him to the floor and stood, too numb from the shock of losing a Bound to feel anything at the moment. Somewhere in my mind, I knew when the feelings came, they'd be horrid and unlike anything I'd ever faced. The part of my spirit that had been connected with Ren's felt as dead as the Lickitung, though some part of me knew this wasn't true.

=Th-the V-Vulp-pix,= Phaina stammered as her shoulders jerked, and I turned to face the fire-fox. Somewhere between having hit the wall and this moment, she had passed out, and was lying unconscious on her side. Slowly, I walked over to her and knelt down, staring at the prone, cream-colored belly. I thought about how it was her fault Ren was dead, her fault my beloved Bound was lying as a hollow shell on the floor behind me. But try as hard as I could to be angry, I couldn't. In truth, it wasn't her fault. No, Ren's death couldn't be blamed on her, because it was really the ones who'd made her Vampiric that were to blame. If they hadn't done this, the Vulpix never would have been here, never would have attacked Ren, never would have killed him.

For a long while I stared at her. I had a moment where I didn't want to Bind her, didn't want to have more Bound than I did already. I didn't want to go through this numbness and the anguish that would come after it more times than I had to. Then the thought hit me, that I couldn't just leave the Vulpix as she was, or any Vampiric Pokemon. I had to help them, had to Bind and cure them. It would be selfish and cruel to just leave them.

I reached out, placing a hand-paw on the Vulpix's side. Her soul was easy enough to find, and I twined some of my own spirit around it. Then I pulled back and stood, staring at fox Vulpix for a moment longer before turning away. Without saying anything, I started walking down the hall, Cree and Phaina soon following after me. I stepped around the charred skeletons of those who'd got caught in the Heat Wave's initial implosion, avoided puddles of melted flesh and boiled blood. The corpses of those that had been farther down the hall when the Heat Wave had gone off were even more gristly to look at: flesh burnt away, leaving twisted muscle that was thick with hardening yellow pus, eyes swollen or burst open,

On we walked, until we came to a floor that was full of chilled air. I shuddered a little, wrapping my arms around myself as I cautiously turned a corner. Standing not far away was the Sneasal, its midnight-black fur sleek and shiny in the moonlight it was standing in. A reddish-purple feather rose from the right side of its head, and a yellow gem between its ruby eyes gleamed brightly. Three feathers that were the same color as the one on its head grew above its rump.

The ice-weasel looked surprised for a moment, then lifted its paws, Two wicked, curved claws extended from sheathes hidden within each paw, and I didn't give the thing a chance to attack. I breathed in deep, ignited the oxygen, and blew out a particularly vicious Flamethrower. The blaze screamed towards the Sneasal, which nimbly jumped over the attack. Not wanting to leave myself open, I snapped my mouth shut and cut the attack off, dancing backwards as the weasel let off an Ice Beam.

"Phaina, hit it with a Disable!" I said, and the little duck quacked her acknowledgement. She jumped forward as the Sneasal landed on its paws, slapping a paw on the ice-weasel's forehead. Before the thing could react, a brilliant white light flared around Phaina's paw, then flickered out. In its wake was a very dazed-looking Sneasal. For a few minutes, at least, it would forget it had Ice Beam in its arsenal. That being its strongest attack, we would have an easier time of this until the Disable's affect wore off. By that time, we might actually be done and moved on to the Gardevoir.

"Phaina, quick, before it recovers, hit it with a Screech! You too, Cree!" I ordered now, and both Pokemon opened their jaws to take in deep breaths. A heartbeat later, they expelled the mighty breaths as ear-shattering Screeches. Even though I wasn't in the line of fire, so to speak, the attacks still sent me reeling. I recoiled, lips rising as I gritted my fangs in discomfort. The Screech attacks echoed loudly in the hallway, reverberating all around me as the Sneasal let out a pained cry. I watched it stagger back, shaking its head madly as it went. Perfect. Now it was not only greatly disarmed, but it was also so stunned it could hardly function.

I moved forward, lifting an arm and preparing a weak Slash. Sneasal didn't have the greatest defense, as their bodies were light and handled physical punishment badly. I just wanted to knock the thing out, not do any real damage to it. Before I could execute my attack, though, two blue blurs dropped from above me. I blinked in surprise as Aurapaw did a midair spin, moving so fast a ball of bright red flames burst to life around her right hind paw. This was slammed into the Sneasal's right shoulder seconds later, while Auratail smashed a glowing paw into the ice-weasel's belly.

But the Vampiric Pokemon were nothing, if not tough. Any other Sneasal would have been dropped by those powerful blows, but not this one. Oh, yeah, it hit the floor, but it didn't stay there long. Within seconds it was back on its feet, squealing in mad rage and ripping its talons through the air. The Riolu twins agilely jumped back, avoiding the flailing claws and landing about a foot in front of me.

"Where…where did you guys come from?" I asked in confusion, looking up. My question was answered by a gaping hole in the ceiling above me, and I wondered how I could have missed it.

=He tried to hit us with an Ice Beam, but we dodged. The ceiling froze, and was made brittle. A surprise Metal Claw sent me through it,= Auratail explained. =My sister came up to make sure I was all right. That was just a few moments ago.=

"Where are the others? I can't believe they'd leave you two to deal with this thing on your own…"

=He and the Gardevoir were attacking together. But a soldier was injured and dragged off out of the way, and we were the only ones who noticed the Sneasal following them. We tried to get someone to come with us, but everyone was too busy trying to fight the Gardevoir,= Aurapaw replied. =So we went after them on our own. Both men were dead by the time we caught up…=

"So many," I muttered, feeling the numbness that Ren's death had initially caused beginning to fade. A seed of grief unlike any I'd felt before took root in my belly, and I hated thinking about what it would be like when it blossomed.

=Nee, what happened?= Auratail asked, turning to face me with concern in his brilliant red eyes. =Aurapaw and I felt something a few minutes ago, an awful pain in our hearts. Where…where is Ren?=

I had no chance to answer the jackal, for at that moment the Sneasal snapped out of his blind rage. Before any of us could do anything, the weasel inhaled sharply, then blew out a thick, sparkling white cloud. It moved rapidly, and the sharp scent of a winter morning filled the hallway as it spread out. I backpedaled as fast as I could, but there was no way to get out of the cloud's path. Even as my Bound and I moved away from it, the Icy Wind washed over us.

The moment that insanely cold air hit me, I felt myself slowing down. It was so cold it seemed to burn, and the chill caused my muscles to spasm uncontrollably. I tried to speak, but the frozen air filled my lungs as I breathed in. It felt like I'd sucked in a lungful of acid, and I started to cough violently. This only caused me to suck in more of the Icy Wind as it passed around me, and I swear I could feel my chest freezing.

I sank to my knees, trying to draw air into my burning, half-frozen lungs. I was distantly aware of someone calling my name, but the cold had settled around my brain and was making it hard for anything to make sense. I gasped, coughed until drool was dripping from my fangs, and became aware of the fact that I was shivering.

Dear sweet Aruseusu's sake, I downright LOATHE Ice!

Then a force smacked into my chest, and warmth enveloped me from where it struck. Not the warmth of blood flowing from a wound or the flushing heat of an internal injury, but the pleasant, relaxing warmth that reminded me of a cozy fireplace. It spread through me, and I felt that deep-seated cold flow from my bones. Within a few seconds, I was no longer shivering and could breathe normally.

=Thank goodness you're all right!= Aurapaw exclaimed, her hind paw still against my chest, balanced perfectly on the other. I stared at her blankly as she lowered her leg, looking close to tears. =I…I used my Blaze Kick to thaw you out, you were pretty much Frozen…I thought you were going to die!= Here she threw herself at me, a little sob escaping her. =I don't want to lose anyone else!= I wondered when she had realized Ren was dead, if maybe Phaina or Cree had told her. Or maybe she'd worked it out on her own, after thinking about why the Lickitung would be missing.

During all this, Phaina was standing by my left side, hers paws against my ribs as she watched me worriedly. I smiled a little, then gave her and Aurapaw a reassuring hug. In front of us, Cree was unleashing a frenzy of Power Whips on the Sneasal as Auratail darted between the attacks, using a Quick Attack to land swift yet weak punches on the weasel. Neither of them seemed to have suffered as badly from the Icy Wind as I had, which made me both glad and a little envious at the same time.

Then there was a moment, a split second, where neither Cree nor Auratail were attacking. Cree was snapping his tongue up, getting ready to bring it down in what promised to be an extra-strong Power Whip, and Auratail was pulling back a fist. Neither of them had the chance to land their attacks. Even though the Sneasal had soaked up an incredible amount of damage, he wasn't about to go down just yet.

Throwing back his head and letting out a scream, the weasel flung his paws out and slashed them through the air. Just as Cree swung his tongue down and Auratail jerked his fist forward, a sizzling brown-orange shield sprang to life in front of the Sneasal. Cree's tongue and Auratail's fist collided with the Counter barrier, rather than their foe, and both Pokemon were blown back as their attacks were sent back at them with double the force.

I narrowed my eyes as the two stunned Pokemon lay on the floor, taking a moment to recover their wits. Then I stood, determined to get this battle over with. Apparently the Sneasal had a few other unpleasant attacks at his disposal, and not just the Ice Beam as I'd first thought.

"All right, you," I snapped at the Sneasal as his Counter move ended. Whether it was drawn by my voice, or just because I was now the largest thing in the area, the Pokemon's attention fell on me as he growled deep in his chest. "Yeah you, you evil little thing. It's time to put an end to this. I have a Gardevoir to Bind too, and…" Here I cut myself off abruptly, then swallowed thickly. "And I've got other important things to see to. So just faint already!"

The Sneasal wasn't having any part of that, though, and instead leapt at me. Startled, I took a few hurried steps back, but it didn't put enough distance between us. The thing barreled into me, wildly hacking at me with his long claws. Several of the frantic slashes hit home, opening long but thankfully shallow lacerations along my chest and shoulders. Irritated more than anything, I bashed an arm-fin against the Pokemon's skull, which sent him sprawling on the floor.

The little bugger just didn't know when to quit, though. He hit the floor and rolled, gaining his paws seconds later and looking furious. I growled softly as he glared at me, wondering if the Gardevoir would give me so much trouble.

"All right, I asked you nicely, now it's time to play mean," I said. "Guys, back me up. I'm gonna hit this thing with a good ol' fashioned Fire Blast, straight from the oven to that thing's head." Wordlessly, Phaina and the others stepped forward and engaged the Sneasal. He seemed a little surprised to be dealing with four opponents at once, instead of one or two, but that's what the damned stubborn thing got for not knowing when he was beaten.

As the others held the little weasel off, I inhaled as much as I could. Then I threw out my chest and pushed my shoulders back as far as I could, making room for even more air. Finally, when I felt I might very well split right in half, I ignited the oxygen in my lungs. It took all my strength and will to keep the flames from bursting from me at that moment. Instead, I shot another round of chemical into the fire. At this point my chest and sides were aching something fierce, and I felt like I was going to throw up. Of course, I wasn't actually going to vomit all over the place, but heck if my body knew that. Before I could drop my jaws and heave out the nice little explosion-to-be dancing in my lungs, I injected another round of that nifty chemical mixture.

That did it. There was no way I could keep my jaws shut. They were forced open with such force and speed that they creaked painfully. Whether sensing the Fire Blast that was surging up from within me, or hearing the deafening roar of the attack as it was released, I didn't know. Either way, my Bound knew when to get out of the way. The four Pokemon flung themselves to the floor as the biggest Fire Blast I'd ever unleashed tore by above them, engulfing a very shocked-looking Sneasal. Darn thing might have been almost as crazy as Alucard, but that didn't mean it was stupid. It knew what the raging torrent of flames wrapping around it meant.

The attack was so strong it took several seconds to end. When the last few embers died away, I padded over to where the Sneasal was lying, not unconscious, but near enough to be satisfactory. I knelt by him once I reached him, setting a hand-paw on the weasel's smoking back. His fur, despite having been pitch-black to begin with, looked slightly incinerated, as did the edges of his feathers. It gave him a look that would have been comical any other time. As it was, I was tired and feeling more of that dreaded grief pushing through the failing wall of emotional numbness. I could tell the others were feeling it as well, for they were twitching and looking distraught.

I didn't realize until after I pulled my hand-paw from the Sneasal that I had been Binding it for the past several seconds. I shook my head slightly, wondering how I could have been so lost to not have noticed earlier. I then stood, sighing heavily as I stretched. Several parts of me popped in protest, and others just groaned loudly. Man, I was going to be sore for the next few days.

"C'mon," I muttered as I turned from the ice-weasel. "Let's go take care of the Gardevoir. I just want to hurry and get this over with…"

We left the Sneasal behind, the five of us walking in silence. Phaina kept make weepy noises, and I knew just how she felt. With every passing second, the dam of emotions being held back by the numbness was getting stronger and stronger. Soon the wall would be overpowered, and all that grief and hurt and anger would crash down on me like a hurricane. I wasn't looking forward to that.

The others were showing signs of worsening sadness as well. Cree's tongue rapidly flicked in and out of his mouth, a sign of distress among Lickitung. The Riolu twins ahead of us were clutching one another's paws, as if for dear life, and I could sense the thick wave of sorrow that was pouring from them with increasing strength.

On we went, passing floor after floor. Desperate to pierce the sullen silence we walked in, I asked Auratail how the battle with the Gardevoir had been going before he and his sister left to confront the Sneasal.

=We were easily able to find her,= Auratail answered. =After we reached the mansion, we mostly tracked her through the Aura. When we arrived at the battle, it was going badly for the soldiers and their Pokemon. The Sneasal was tearing around all over the place, making it nearly impossible to focus on the Gardevoir as she launched attacks. The moment someone tried to concentrate on her, that little weasel would pop out of nowhere and slash them up.

=She uses a wall of Psychic energy to shield herself with, too,= Aurapaw added. =Whenever a Pokemon attacked or a soldier fired at her, the shield would come up and deflect whatever it was coming at her. Even the Tanks can't break through it, despite all of them knowing Brick Break. Every time they'd get close enough to try and use the move, the Gardevoir would shoot an attack at them or something.=

=And she's even…= Auratail paused for a moment, shaking his head slowly. The movement was like that of someone who'd just seen something very unbelievable. =She was even holding Alucard at bay. Her shield kept all his shots away, and even when he used some of his powers he couldn't get through.=

"She must be extremely powerful to hold off so many soldiers and Pokemon, on top of the strongest Vampire known to exist," I sighed. "That also means she'll be a tough opponent."

=But now that the Sneasal is out of the way, maybe the soldiers and their partners have been able to focus enough of their strength. Maybe they've finally managed to bring down that cursed barrier,= Aurapaw said, sounding hopeful. I didn't share her enthusiasm: maybe they had brought down the shield, but most likely they hadn't. Even if they'd managed, there was the disheartening possibility that they may have just killed her and been done with it. After all, Aurapaw had just said the soldiers had been shooting at her, as had Alucard. In fact, if that shield had come down with him still around, it was almost guaranteed that a bullet from his Jackal would have blown her head apart. That thing was ungodly strong, and I had a hard time believing a human had developed and manufactured it.

"Let's hurry up then. Though, if her shield was destroyed already, there's a big chance that there won't be much of her left."

=I'm sorry we can't locate her,= Aurapaw said, sounding disappointed. =But the closer we get to her, the more the Aura is distorted and warped. Though, I can tell you that she's nearby. The Aura is almost as unstable now as it was when we were right in front of her.=

I was getting ready to reply when I heard a muffled explosion. I glanced up, as did the others, for the source of the boom had come from above us. Without further hesitation, I broke into a run and charged up the next flight of stairs, rounded a few corners, and ended up stumbling into chaos.

How I managed to not hear the commotion going on was just crazy, simple as that. The hall in front of me was packed with Hellsing troops and their Pokemon, along with several dozen Tanks. Granted, most of them were sprawled on the ground, and a distressingly large number of those were lying too still for comfort. Then throw in Seras and Pip, the former bellowing commands as her crystal-blue eyes burned with some intense emotion. Fear, anger, or something else, I couldn't really be sure. The latter of the pair was looking cool and collected, issuing orders to his Pokemon as if this was just another night. Walter was there as well, and I saw flashes of…something…trailing from his fingers as he stared, stiff-backed and looking strangely uncomfortable, at the Gardevoir standing amidst the insanity. And of course Alucard, not boasting either of his monstrous guns. Instead, he had gone through those odd changes again, with his black hair nearly twice as long as it was back when he'd regenerated after being smeared by Ren. I quickly pushed that thought away: it was getting more and more painful to think about the dead Lickitung.

Hovering above them all was Musa, unusually still. Slowly, he turned towards where I was standing, and I could tell instantly that he understood and knew the pain I was feeling, and that would soon be too much. That was only to be expected, though, since he had lost his De_Mon_.

"Here at last," came Alucard's unknowing, snide remark. An insane grin was plastered across his face, and for a moment I wanted nothing more than to unleash all my increasing grief and fury on him. Then I remembered that he had no idea, had no way of knowing I'd just lost a Bound. So I kept my raging emotions in check and focused on what needed to be done.

"Everyone, back down," I stated. The troops that were still conscious and upright scoffed at my words, as did their Pokemon. All except Seras, Pip, their Pokemon, Walter, and Alucard. The latter was surprising, though at the moment I didn't really pay it much mind. I was more angered by the fact that these stuck-up humans, along with their Pokemon, who weren't listening to me, when it was obvious none of them had been able to do anything to the Gardevoir. Said Pokemon was acting oddly subdued for being Vampiric, which she clearly was. The whole glowy-red-eyes-and-big-fangs thing kinda gave it away.

"I said, back DOWN," I repeated, putting some snarl in my words. Normally, I would have never thought of trying to intimidate others like this. The situation, combined with my mounting emotional problems, made it a heck of a lot easier, though. "None of you have been able to do a damned useful thing. And the only ones who most likely have," here I nodded in the direction of Pip and Seras, as well as their Pokemon, "have done so because they haven't tried beating this poor Pokemon into a mindless pulp or shooting her to hell and back."

"And you think you can do better, oh mighty De_Mon_?" one of the men asked sarcastically, and the others snickered. Alucard made something that was like a combination of a laugh and a warning noise, sprinkled with a generous helping of amusement. "Oh, by all means, please enlighten us; show us what we were doing wrong!"

During all of this, the Gardevoir was simply standing there. I couldn't shake the feeling that it was wrong, horribly wrong, because none of the Vampiric Pokemon I'd ever seen or heard of had been so calm. The soldiers and Pokemon, along with Seras and the others, had apparently given up on any assault, and the Gardevoir seemed content to not bother them if they let her be. But that just wasn't how Vampiric Pokemon worked. They were crazed, blood-hungry things.

Then she raised an arm, suddenly, fluidly, and swept it out in a wide arc before her as she faced me. Her crimson eyes smoldered with insanity, and I finally realized what was so terribly wrong. She was mad, as mad as any other Vampiric Pokemon. But somehow, instead of being controlled by that madness and becoming a mindless beast, she had overcome it. She was focusing it, concentrating the increased strength the insane possess and putting it to good use, instead of striking out at random and generally mucking about.

This would be fun.

As she finished sweeping her arm around, she dropped it to her side and gave a tiny smile. At that, the soldiers and their partners, as well as the Tanks, collapsed to the floor. There were no gasps or shocked cries, no shouts or any other sounds, except for a large number of bodies collapsing to the floor. I was surprised to hear a few dull thumps behind me and turned, surprised all over again when I saw Phaina and Cree slumped on their bellies, obviously asleep. The Riolu siblings looked a little dazed, but were still on their paws, at least. I turned away from them, wondering when the lot of them had caught up with me.

The only ones left standing were myself, the Riolu siblings, Alucard, Seras, Kiyon, and Guerrier. Musa was still conscious as well, but he didn't count among those standing, considering he hovered and had no legs or feet. I pondered the implications. De_Mon_s were pretty much immune to all assaults against the mind, especially suggestive ones. The one exception had been my initial encounter with Alucard. Vampires were also resistant to mental attacks, for the most part. Auratail, Aurapaw, and Guerrier most likely had the protection of the Aura to shield their minds, and Musa was, well, Musa. All in all, we were the only ones mentally strong enough to defy the mass Hypnosis the Gardevoir had just used to knock everyone else out. Not quite what I'd had in mind when I'd told everyone to back down, but it worked nonetheless.

_~'Ware,~_ Guerrier cautioned from across the hall, though the Gardevoir never took her glowering eyes from me. _~She is, somehow, both mad and aware. It lends her incredible strength, as I'm sure has become obvious.~_His worried eyes then fell upon the slumbering forms of Pip and his fellow teammates. I nodded absently, my mostly-mended wings popping as they lifted a bit.

=What should we do?= Musa inquired as he floated over, his voice tense. It was unsettling, to see him so distracted and unfocused. He was normally so calm and anchoring.

"Bring down her shield, first of all," I replied, loud enough for the others to hear. I was getting ready to add more when the Gardevoir suddenly vanished with a faint cracking noise. My words caught in my throat as I cut myself off, alert for when the Gardevoir reappeared from her Teleport. I was getting ready to look behind me when I heard that soft crack, like the sound of a car backfiring in the far-off distance. I started to turn faster, sensing my Bound readying attacks.

Then things got all unpleasant.

I saw a flash of stark white as the tall, graceful figure of the Gardevoir moved just out of my line of sight. I finished my turn just in time to experience that slowing-down thing that happens when a big "oh crap" moment is upon you. The Gardevoir was shorter than me, thanks to the height boost I got from my Garchompian legs. Her ivory-white body was floating in the air, though, her glaring ruby eyes level with my amber ones. Then her head lowered a little, causing her pale green hair to fall into her eyes and obscure her delicate face. With agonizing slowness, her slender white arms reached out for me, closed themselves around me with more strength than a Gardevoir should have. As she came closer, drawing herself to me, the pink horn protruding from her chest dug into my own.

Then time seemed to do a skip to fast-forward. One second the Pokemon was clutching me with her head down, the next she was jerking forward with unthinkable speed, mouth dropping open, fangs gleaming as a tiny yip worked its way from my assailant's throat.

Luckily for my throat, I had really good reflexes. I bent back and twisted sharply to the side, and the Gardevoir's fangs sunk into the area where my neck and shoulder met, on the right side. Oh, trust me, it hurt like hell. Imagine having to miniature fire pokers, glowing white from being so hot, driven into that tender part of your body. But hey, at least my throat, which had been the Pokemon's initial target, was still where it belonged.

A bellow that was a mix of pain, rage, and shock tore itself from me, and I snapped my left hand-paw up as my claws started glowing a brilliant gold. The energy sparked and hissed, and, still roaring, I slashed my talons at the Gardevoir's temple. The Dragon Claw connected, which was actually somewhat of a shock. That infamous shield failed to protect the Pokemon gnawing on my neck, and she recoiled with a shriek. The moment I was free from her twisted embrace I jumped back, ignoring the pain from my torn-up neck and the uncomfortable sensation of hot blood pouring down my front and back.

=Vile!= Auratail screeched furiously, and his sister simply yowled her rage. Musa let out a ringing scream, and all three Pokemon unleashed their attacks on the bloody-mouthed Gardevoir as she stumbled back, dazed from the blow to her head. Musa whipped up an Ominous Wind, while the two Riolu unleashed the biggest Aura Spheres I'd ever seen them use. A second before hitting the Gardevoir, the three attacks collided. The energies looked like they'd combine at first, but the friction between them was too great. The Gardevoir was caught the next second in an explosion as the three attacks combusted.

"Nee!" came Seras's worried exclamation, and I turned to see her hurrying towards me. As she came to a stop about a foot away, her eyes flashed crimson for a moment. During that brief moment, they fell and lingered on the hole in my neck. There was a scary minute where I was sure she would lose herself and lunge at me, but she managed to tear her eyes away from my wound and bring them to my face. They went back to their normal blue as the fledging flushed. "I…um, are…are you…well, I suppose it's actually a stupid question, you're obviously not all right…" she muttered, and I smiled as best I could.

"Don't worry," I told her, feeling a sharp little burst of searing pain ripple away from my injury with each syllable. Damn, that freaking Gardevoir must have bit into the muscles of my neck or something. I then turned back to the Gardevoir, catching a glimpse of Alucard as I did. He was only smirking now, arms folded over his chest, hair back to its normal length. He obviously wasn't going to take part in the battle anymore. Maybe he'd gotten bored, or maybe he wanted to see how much of my blood was spilled before I begged for his help. Hell if that would ever happen.

The smoke from the explosion was clearing away slowly. The windows on this floor were small and only allowed a small amount of the already scarce night air in. I would have used my wings to disperse it, but they were still too messed up to be flapping at the moment.

"Musa, think you can whip up an Ominous Wind to clear this smoke?" I asked. Well, I should say I was _going_to ask, because I only got about halfway through the question before a luminous green orb flew from the smoke. I blinked in surprise as it then split into four smaller balls, one of which joyfully whammed into my stomach a breath later. Musa barely avoided the one launched at him, and the Riolu used their powers over the Aura to negate the mini Energy Balls that had been sent at them.

I felt like such an underachiever as I sank to one knee, wheezing like an old dog.

"Impressive," I managed to cough, my stomach feeling like it had just met with a speeding train. The force behind that little ball was shocking. Not too shocking, though, since Gardevoir were known for their strength in the non-physical department. Their special attacks, the ones that didn't rely on muscle, were backed by their immense telekinetic abilities. There was a reason their species was considered one of the strongest among Psychic Pokemon, and my current dilemma was a prime example.

=I tire of this,= Musa said heatedly, and I sensed power gathering to him as he started charging a Shadow Ball. =All of this! This insanity!= The inky sphere of darkness was shot into the fading haze of smoke, though there was no indication that it hit its target.

I took the lull in action to take stock of the situation. I was on one knee, my throbbing neck ripped open and spilling a spreading puddle of blood all over the floor. My stomach felt like a Machamp had taken an industrial-sized sledgehammer to it. My wings were pretty much shot and would remain so for at least three or four days. And let's not forgot that inner turmoil Ren's death was causing.

It was safe to say things weren't going in my favor.

Then several things happened at once. As the smoke continued to clear, I saw a shape moving within it. The form was like a black stain, so dark it stood out against even the deepest shadow. It was jerking forward and to the sides, moving fitfully as it got closer. Then the shape darted straight forward, slamming into Musa before the Ghost could react. As that happened, two flares peeled themselves from the shadow and spun backwards. One of them was a bluish-red orb of fire that left a faintly glowing trail in its wake. The other was a simple ball of dark light. The former brushed against the fur of Aurapaw's right arm, then seemed to sink into the steel flesh. The Riolu gave a yelp of pain as the Will-O-Wisp inflicted a nasty burn on her, while her brother was caught in the ball of dark light. Seconds later, a stupefied look came over Auratail's face.

In the span of five seconds, Musa had been struck by a Shadow Sneak move, Aurapaw had been Burned by a Will-O-Wisp, and Auratail was confused to high Heaven because of a stupid Confuse Ray. The sister wouldn't be able to focus on attacking with her burn distracting her, and the brother would just as likely attack himself as he would the Gardevoir, at least until he snapped out of his dazed confusion. Musa was temporarily dazed by the Shadow Sneak, hovering just about a foot from the floor.

I turned from the Ghost in time to see the last dregs of smoke clearing away. Standing there was the Gardevoir, blood smeared around her mouth and down her chin. It gave her a decidedly crazed appearance, which fit well enough with her personality. There was a small gash trickling blood where my Dragon Claw had connected with her head, and I have to say, I felt cheated. My neck was doing its best impression of a fountain, and my opponent had something that was hardly bigger than a big scratch. How it was possible she was even still standing was a mystery. Sure, she was Vampiric, but the fact remained that Gardevoir seriously lacked in the physical defense department. She should have been floored and knocked silly at the least, not standing there with murder dancing in her eyes.

The next attack came then, and I was completely taken off-guard. One, by the simple fact that it was being used, and two, by the fact that it didn't affect me. The second fact didn't really surprise me for long, though.

The ivory-skinned Pokemon lifted her hands, and a bright yellow spark popped into existence between them. This quickly expanded to about twice the size of a basketball, then rapidly fell in on itself as the Gardevoir shoved her arms out towards me. The resulting Shock Wave came at me, a barely visible ripple in the air that passed over me a second later. I blinked, then gave a barking laugh as the attack lost its strength and dissipated behind me.

"Silly Gardevoir," I muttered as I managed to finally get to my feet-paws, one hand-paw going to my neck and assessing the damage by touch. The wound was healing, but slowly, and I was losing a lot of blood. In fact, I was already feeling woozy; sounds were just slightly muffled, like there was thin fabric stretched over my ears, and the world seemed to tilt a little to the right. Still, none of it was something I couldn't deal with. "Electric attacks won't work on me. Not only am I part Ground, but I can control lightning with the best Electric Pokemon." To prove myself, I flung out my free arm and released a simple blast of glaring yellow electricity. It flowed from my hand-paw, down my talons, and around the Gardevoir's body. She had been surprised, no doubt, by the failure of her last move, and didn't have time to defend herself as the wave of power coursed through her. The only signs that she was taking any damage were the twitches and jerks she gave as the voltage went through her.

I then dropped my arm and lunged forward, whirling in mid-leap and slamming my tail into the stunned Pokemon's right side. She grunted softly as the blow knocked her from her feet, sending her crashing to the floor moments later. Before she could stand, I inhaled deeply, then released the air as a Dragonbreath. Not a second after I let the attack loose, a pain blazed through the bite the Gardevoir had inflicted. I felt the newly-mended flesh rip back open a little, felt the blood flow a bit too freely for a second, and realized I was pushing myself too hard.

It was at that moment that a faint vibration filled the air. I blinked, wondering what it was as it grew in strength. Soon, a deep, pulsating hum was pounding through and around me. My whole body was quivering from it, my teeth gently chattering together.

Then the noise came. It was a loud rushing noise; it was probably what it would sound like inside a tornado. I turned and saw Guerrier, paws held out and towards the grounded Gardevoir. Well, to be fair, by this point she was on her knees.

Then the rushing sound stopped suddenly, and I felt the air around me shift direction. It was like it was sucked towards Guerrier, and I could feel the pulse in the air flowing away from me as well. It was so strong I could see it gathering around the Lucario's outstretched paws. It looked like a small heat wave had sprung to life there, shimmering in the air like it was.

And the shimmer then exploded into a massive orb of clear, undulating energy, which tore itself from Guerrier's paws and shot at the Gardevoir. The Dragon Pulse thrummed powerfully as it moved through the air, and when it struck, a sound similar to a roar rang out. Once again, our foe was blown off her feet and knocked to the floor.

_~Rest,~_ the Lucario commanded. _~I'll deal with her for now.~_As he spoke, Kiyon moved to his side. Seras nodded without saying anything, and Alucard just kept smirking like the whole thing was the best joke in the world. One only he knew the punch line to, of course.

I nodded faintly, only getting in two motions before a fresh bout of stinging in my neck announced I'd succeeded in tearing the wound open again. Without further hesitation I slunk out of the way, pressing my back against the wall when I reached it and slumping to the floor. I didn't mean to, but at some point I let my eyes slide closed and entered a state that would leave me completely vulnerable. I usually only did it when I was sure I was safe, but my body had taken a nice beating within the past twenty or so minutes, and it demanded a bit of attention.

So I slipped deeper and deeper into something like a coma, focusing my energies on the sole task of healing my sorely-abused body. The more I fell into the altered state, the less I became aware of what was happening around me. Soon, there was nothing but the sensation of my body.

I started with my neck, feeling along the injury and beginning the process of fixing the gaping hole. With my attention concentrated on it, the bite healed much faster, torn flesh knitting itself together in little under a minute. Of course, the lost blood couldn't be replaced so easily, so I'd have to take it easy for a while and give my body time to make some more.

Then it was on to my wings. I finished the task I'd started earlier, repairing what hadn't healed on its own by this time. Bones that had been hastily drawn together and left to their own devices were correctly aligned and fused together. Muscles that had been left partly shredded were made whole again, as were tendons and other such intricacies. It took several minutes, and even after my wings were fully healed, the muscles were still stiff from having been pushed past their limit. I wouldn't be flying for a few days.

Finally, I dealt with the other issues. Once I was pretty much healed up, I started coming out of my self-induced stupor, becoming aware of the things going on around me as I did. My eyes cracked open, and the first thing I saw was Alucard kneeling in front of me, barely a foot away. Amusement blazed in his eyes as he gave a vicious little fang-bearing grin.

I almost screamed.

"I was beginning to wonder when you'd wake up," he said casually, as if a giant battle wasn't taking place behind him. His arms were resting on his knees, hands clasped between them, and something about the pose just oozed menace, even though there was nothing outwardly threatening about it. I tried to ignore the feeling of being studied, like a rabbit might be by a hawk, and glared at the Vampire.

"The hell!" I spat. "I would be grateful if you could get out of my face. Like, now."

"Hunh," came the indifferent response. The smile stretching the Undead's mouth spread more, and it looked like his face should split. I was struck by the mental image of a snake and the way its jaws could open to a hundred-and-eighty degree angle. It was not a comforting thought. Then one of Alucard's arms lifted and swung out to the side, motioning behind him as his head lowered just a bit. It was a challenge, I knew it. "By the way, you might care to know that during your little nap, the rest of your Bound were knocked out by our guest."

That got me up, and I was in such a hurry to see if the words were true that I almost ran into Alucard. I didn't much care, and either way, he rose out of the way and I ended up missing him by a few inches. I didn't say anything or look back, I just strode to where Guerrier and Kiyon were standing behind twin shields of blazing white energy. Across from them was the Gardevoir; her right arm was stretched out before her and dozens of blue-green leaves were swaying in the air in front of her hand. Then they moved, so fast it was almost impossible to track their path.

The Magical Leaf attack slammed into the double Protect shields Guerrier and Kiyon were holding up, and there was a flash of white as the attack was negated. The light faded, revealing that the leaves had harmlessly fallen to the ground.

All of this happened at about the same time I realized Alucard had been telling the truth. I spotted the forms of the Riolu siblings and Musa, lying on the ground about three yards away. I felt my heart freeze, my pulse turn to sludge. When had they been knocked out? How?

I whirled as the Protect shields evaporated, turning to face Alucard as fury raged in my belly. The Vampire was leaning against the wall, arms over his chest again, looking much too pleased with everything that was going on.

"What the hell!?" I nearly screamed, but managed to keep the words to a loud shout. "Why did you let that happen? Why are you just standing here being absolutely useless?!" Ire flashed in Alcuard's eyes as I yelled at him, but I ignored the warning and kept going. "You're supposed to be some great freaking Vampire, some strong and mighty being, and you're slinking in the shadows like a damn dog with its tail permanently jammed between its legs! Quit skulking and HELP us already!"

I saw the blow coming, jerked my arm up to defense myself. Instead of a slap or something fiercer, though, Alucard's hand clamped down on my upper arm, his grip like a vise as he jerked it roughly. I had to stagger forward to keep my balance, which cut the distance between us down to about seven or so inches.

"I'll do what I please," the Vampire said, his grin gone and replaced by a sudden anger. In any other situation, I would have been scared stupid. As it was, my Bound were all unconscious, Ren was dead, the floor was littered with dead and slumbering soldiers and Pokemon, and Alucard was acting like it was all in a day's work. In short, I was just as pissed as him, if not more so.

"Then make it your pleasure to be of use!" I snapped, ignoring the sounds of battle that were raging behind us. I heard Seras saying something, her voice pitched high in distress, but I didn't understand her words and so ignored her as well. "Do something other than stand here like none of it's a big deal, damn you!" As I spoke, I wrenched my arm from the Vampire's grasp and came within an inch of smacking him upside the head. Instead, I forced myself to turn away and rush over to help Seras's Pokemon and Guerrier.

I was done playing around. I was done taking my time. I was just done. Wrath and grief were now merging to make me almost assume my Pure form, but only almost. It would take more parts wrath and less parts grief for that to happen. Instead, I charged at the Gardevoir laying my left arm on top of my right so my arm-fins were pointing outwards.

She tried to move out of my way, but I was faster than she was. I lunged with all my strength, one fin catching her just below the throat, the over ramming hard into her solar plexus. She fell, and I was carried with her by my momentum. She hit the floor, and I rolled off her and fluidly rose to my feet-paws. I then prepared another Dragon Claw, determined to end this thing here and now.

Without a sound, I jumped forward and swung the right side of my body down, slashing my claws at where the Gardevoir was lying, on her back. My talons aimed at her belly, but before the attack could connect, a blinding flare of white exploded around the Pokemon's prone body. My claws bounced off the Protect barrier as I staggered back, eyes stinging and watering from the brilliant flash.

By the time my vision cleared, it was too late. The Gardevoir was on her feet, a dark brown, glittering sphere of energy pulsing around her. Across from us, Guerrier had a fist cocked back, and a faint white glow was slowly coming to life around it. Kiyon looked a little droopy, like he'd been battling for too long and was getting exhausted. And Alucard was no longer leaning against the wall, but was instead watching the battle with an unnerving intensity. I glared, wanting to stomp him for still not helping, but I didn't have the time.

Our friend the Gardevoir swung her arms up, then out, and the bright brown energy around her quickly started falling in on itself. Then it flowed down her arms, gathered into an unpleasantly large ball in her hands, and cut loose.

The Focus Blast was large enough to stretch from wall to wall and floor to ceiling. My view was abruptly filled with a giant wall of energy screaming towards me. I couldn't dodge it, unless I jumped out a window. I was a bit too high up for that to be more than just a passing fancy, though. So I did the next best thing and moved back as fast as I could. Unfortunately, since I lacked eyes anywhere on my back, including my head, I couldn't see what was behind me.

My right foot-paw came down on something jagged and small, sending a sharp bite of pain through my flesh and knocking me off-balance as the thing shifted under my weight. I felt myself falling, could do nothing about it, and seconds later was swallowed by the Focus Blast.

The strength of it knocked me into the wall still several feet behind me. I hit hard, lost my breath, and slid to the floor in as ungainly a manner as possible. Through the fog of pain that was racking my whole body, I still felt kind of embarrassed by the way I was slumped.

It took several seconds for me to recover. That had been one hell of an attack, the kind that made me grateful my host had been made tough by whatever life she'd led. A lesser De_Mon_, or, say, a human, would have been put down for the count by that attack.

I was getting to my feet-paws and wondering what to do now when I saw Guerrier leap into action. Literally, too. He jumped, clearing the distance of about seven feet between himself and the Gardevoir, and jerked his now brightly-glowing fist forward. I could tell, even from how far away I was, that the blow would be a brutal one. I was right, too, because the Focus Punch hit the Gardevoir squarely in the back of the head and dropped her like a ton of bricks. Or maybe a ton of rocks, just to be different and avoid my mortal foe, the cliché.

It was kind of funny, actually. The look of shock had been so clear on the Pokemon's face as she got whacked in the head. Her eyes went wide, her mouth opened in a little 'o' of surprise, and she basically had adopted the "oh damn" expression before just crumpling in a heap.

Then the humor left, and tension filled its place. I stiffly walked forward, hyper-aware of the fact I was being closely watched by the others. I ignored it as best I could, reaching the Gardevoir and dropping to my knees beside her. For a moment I hesitated, just in case she was playing possum. The last thing I wanted was to be nibbled on again. The Pokemon didn't make any move to attack me, though, so I slowly reached out and placed my hand-paw against on her back. Then I sighed and set to Binding her, barely aware of the threads of my spirit that were still working on the Vulpix and the Sneasal. They were pretty darn tough, indeed, if they still hadn't been fully Bound yet.

I finished the beginning process of Binding and lifted my hand from the Gardevoir's back.

Then I knew agony.

That numbing wall that had sprung up within me upon Ren's death fell away, and it took several seconds for me to realize I was shrieking. I had thought that the emotional buffer had been fading bit by bit, allowing small doses of anger and grief to come through in amounts I could handle, so when the wall finally fell, it wouldn't be so bad. I was horribly mistaken. Vehemence and anguish crashed down on me, and my screaming was cut off by the wailing sobs that ripped themselves from me. I started trembling violently, tears pouring from my eyes as I hugged myself tightly and felt such raw agony and unbridled rage that I thought I might explode. I became aware of other sources of sadness and anger, and knew that even though the others were still unconscious, they, too, were going through the same emotional trauma I was.

I only barely felt pressure around my shoulders, hardly heard Seras as she spoke words I couldn't make sense of in a soothing voice. I was hardly aware of a warm, furry body pressing consolingly against my stomach or the gentle pressure of a paw on my left arm. I was slightly more aware of Alucard's voice, but only because, for once, his tone lacked arrogance and meanness. Still, I couldn't make sense of what he was saying, and I honestly didn't care.

"REN!" I screeched through my sobs. Over and over I cried out for him, trembling and rocking and unable to stand it. I just wanted the suffering to stop, wanted it to go away and leave me feeling nothing. Being hollow would be a blessing, never being happy or content or at peace again would be fine, as long as I didn't have to go through another second of this emotional torment.

Then I got my wish as the world abruptly faded to the empty, unfeeling void of unconsciousness…


	5. Order Four: Hell and High Water

**Definitions and Such**

**Familiar**- An otherworldly creature that ca be summoned by a Vampire to fight for them, as well as to store energy and power. They can act as catalysts and conduits for various purposes, and rarely are what they appear to be. They are powerful and only obey their masters. Alucard's familiar is a hellhound in the form of a Houndoom, and is called Baskerville.

**Aura**- A special force generated by all things, both animate and inanimate. This force can be seen, read, and used by Riolu and Lucario. The move Aura Sphere is powered by the Aura, in which the user pulls strength from their Aura and expels it through their hands/paws/etc. The Riolu siblings Nee Binds use it as part of their names, and it is a force that dictates much in the lives of Riolu and Lucario.

* * *

_Last Time in Monsters of the Machine…_

Nee battles and Binds the two Vampiric Riolu and the two Vampiric Lickitung: the Riolu turn out to be brother and sister, though the two male Lickitung are unrelated. Seconds after she initially begins Binding them, the De_Mon _notices a pale figure watching her. A Houndoom accompanies him, and before Nee can react, the two vanish. Nee is about to tell Alucard, but the Vampire is already heading off to see into the matter.

Soon after, Pip and Seras rejoin Nee, and after several minutes, the group is on their way back to the boat they came in on, with our heroine falling into a doze while being carried by an Aggron. They find Alucard waiting for them when they arrive, though Nee is too busy getting to know her new Bound while she catches a bit of shut-eye.

Alucard wakes her soon after they depart the island, however, saying they have a report to prepare. Once they arrive back at the mansion, the two head for Integra's office, only to spot Kreil leaving the room as they arrive. The doctor tells Nee that Phaina's x-ray had finally developed, and there was something embedded in her head. Nee tells she'll bring Phaina by later so he can remove whatever it is, and the man hurries off to get ready.

Then Nee gives her report, as well as the one Alucard had come up with on the boat. After hearing it, Integra tells Nee to go rest and reunite with her Bound, which the De_Mon _is all too happy to do. She goes to her room and is greeted by her joyful Bound, whom she informs about Kreil's discovery. She also lets them know her new Bound are resting in a separate room for the night.

Days pass by, relatively uneventfully. Phaina has the item removed from her head, and it turns out to be some sort of chip. Similar chips are taken from the heads of the Riolu and Lickitung, and it's obvious they're the work of the Vampires who are making Pokemon Vampiric.

One evening, the De_Mon _and her Bound are strolling through the woods behind the Hellsing mansion. It's going well, until Auratail, the Riolu brother, and Aurapaw, the sister, sense something wrong with the Aura around the mansion. It's soon revealed that three Pokemon are attacking the manor: a Gardevoir, a Sneasal, and a Vulpix.

Nee sends the Riolu siblings ahead to the mansion, then carries Phaina, Cree, and Ren (the latter two being the Lickitung) as she flies back to the mansion. However, the weight is too much for her wings, in the end, and they lock up on her just as they reach the building. The De_Mon _makes a crash-landing into the mansion through one of the windows, breaking all four of her wings and injuring Cree and Ren's tongues in the process. Still, the group presses on to help deal with the Pokemon who are assaulting the manor.

The first they come across is the Vulpix, who nearly turns them into cinders with a wayward Fire Spin. When it blows itself out a second later, our friends see that the attack had already claimed one victim. Many more soon fall to the Vulpix, who is clearly Vampiric: she unleashes a fatal Heat Wave that reduces many of the troops and Pokemon to smoking skeletons. And those are the lucky ones.

Nee and the others engage the fire-fox in battle after Musa leaves to help battle the other Pokemon, and things seem to be going in their favor. That is, until the Vulpix gets one up on them and vents her fury on Ren. After ripping several wounds into his body, she blasts him full in the face with a Flamethrower. Before any more damage can be done, Phaina hits the Vulpix with a Hydro Pump, knocking her into a wall as well as knocking her out.

Sadly, it's too late for Ren. The Lickitung's horrific injuries cause him to go into shock, and minutes later, he is dead. Nee is shocked into emotional numbness, though she knows it won't last long. Dreading the grief and anger to come, she has a moment of indecision before Binding the Vulpix.

The Sneasal is next, and early on in the battle, Auratail and Aurapaw rejoin their De_Mon_. The Sneasal proves a harder foe to take down than the Vulpix, and it takes an effort from everyone to finally weaken him enough for Nee to Bind him.

Lastly is the Gardevoir, whom has been giving the organization the hardest time. Many soldiers and Pokemon have been killed or injured by her, and those still on their feet have decided to give up on trying to assault her further. Even Alucard has been held at bay by some mysterious shield the Pokemon uses to defend herself with.

Then the Gardevoir suddenly unleashes a mass Hypnosis, knocking out everyone present save Nee, the Riolu siblings, Musa, Guerrier, Seras, and Alucard. The former five take on the Gardevoir, whose shield has seemed to vanish. During the fight, the Gardevoir manages to take a bite out of Nee, who is told to rest by Guerrier. She does so, healing her various injuries while she has the time to. When she's done, she sees Alucard kneeling in front of her and grows angry. She demands to know why he's not helping them fight after the Vampire informs her that Auratail, Aurapaw, and Musa have been knocked out. Even when Alucard himself becomes cross at being talked to as he is, Nee says he needs to help them and quit acting like a dog with its tail between its legs. She then delves back into the battle.

Finally, the Gardevoir is pushed far enough that she's weak enough for Nee to Bind her. However, just as she's finishing, the emotional numbness of Ren's death completely fades away. Crushed by the grief and rage of losing a Bound, the De_Mon _finds herself wishing that she could become numb once more, and decides she'd be fine never feeling happiness again, if it meant not having to go through the trauma she is now.

Seconds later, the sorrow and anger become too great, chasing Nee into the soothing nothingness of unconsciousness…

And now, chapter four of Monsters of the Machine…

* * *

_**+Order Four: Hell and High Water+**_

_"Open the curtain,  
Let some light in,  
I feel so grey,  
The world got smashed to pieces,  
And put back together  
The wrong way..."_

I woke to pain.

Not a physical pain, but a deep, throbbing emotional anguish. It felt as if my very core had been seared, as if my spirit had been brutally torn and then smeared with lemon juice. It made my heart hurt, it was so fierce.

I was lying in my bed, staring into the darkness of the room. A sheet was twisted around me, and I decided I must have done quite a bit of writhing to have become so entangled. I thought about freeing myself for all of three seconds before coming to the conclusion that it wasn't worth the effort.

All I wanted to do was fall back into blissful, unfeeling sleep, but it was clear that wasn't going to happen. The grief was deep-set and not planning on losing me like it had when it first washed over me. I would have to tough it out, as much as I wanted not to.

=Nee,= came Musa's voice, soft and understanding in the darkness. I looked in the direction his voice had come from, eyes straining to see the Ghost in the near-total blackness. I briefly contemplated asking him to flip on the light, but in the end, I didn't. I didn't much feel like having the room be bright and cheery at the moment.

"Oh, Musa…" I muttered in response, suddenly aware of the tears running down my face and into my hair. I reached up and rubbed at my eyes, my arms and hands shaking a little. "This is…this is too awful…my Ren, my Ren is dead, and this pain is too much to bear…"

=I know. We know,= the Ghost replied gently, and a moment later I felt the cool pressure of his essence settling near my right shoulder. His Keystone brushed against my flesh, offering comfort in his own way. =We feel it as well, through you. It is the pain of losing one that is as much a part of you as one of your limbs. It is the pain of being ripped from a bond so profound, words simply fail to do it justice. And it is the simple pain of losing a loved one. I felt it when I lost Boka, and though the pain was lessened when you became my De_Mon_, I still feel it here and there. It will never truly go away, but you learn to accept it and move on. It is all we can do, and in the end, what they would want for us.=

I wanted to have a little fit there, about how Ren would most likely prefer being alive to anything else and such, but I refused to give in. Musa was right, anyways. The only problem was the whole accepting it thing. I couldn't imagine ever learning to accept the monumental distress I was currently experiencing. Musa must have sensed my doubt, because he added, =All wounds heal in time. Some just take longer to mend than others.=

Silence fell between us, and after a moment I slowly sat up, pulling my knees to my chest and hooking my arms around them. I settled my chin atop them as I stared into the darkness, and then Musa said, =Even they feel it. You Bound them; you probably didn't realize it, since our spirits were unable to communicate with yours.=

_~Yes,~_came a new voice, this one soft and lilting. It was unexpected in more ways than one: the voice itself, and the fact that the single word seemed to have been implanted right into my brain. I hadn't heard it as I heard the others talking. Even Guerrier's voice, while not physical, still had the sensation of being heard. This, however, was a purely telepathic communication. It always felt weird, even though I'd held many conversations with Pokemon who spoke telepathically.

"How long have you been awake?" I asked into the darkness, unsure where the Gardevoir was. It was hard to tell from what direction words came when you couldn't hear them.

_~I just woke,~_ came the reply. _~I am a light sleeper, even when gripped by unconsciousness.~_

"Could you please turn on the light?" I asked, sighing inwardly. I didn't want to bother with it, but just sitting in the dark and being sad for the rest of my life wasn't helping anyone. I owed it to Ren to keep going, anyways. He probably would have been irked if I said, "Screw it" after he died helping me try to stop this insanity. "And, uh, if you don't mind, wake the others."

_~Of course,~ _the Gardevoir responded, and seconds later light filled the room. Despite being dim, it made my eyes sting something fierce. I wiped at my eyes to brush away the tears as I watched the Gardevoir. She was moving gracefully about the room, almost seeming to float, waking the other Bound as she passed them.

Finally, everyone was conscious. I stared at the nine Pokemon in the room with me, all of them looking gloomy and depressed. Even the Gardevoir, who was the most elegant creature present, appeared to be downcast and sorrowful. Her gaze stayed on the floor, and her hands were clasped tightly before her chest as she sat down on the edge of the bed. But the most pitiful out of all of us was the Vulpix.

The elderly fire-fox was lying on her belly, head between her paws, but still her whole body sagged. Her ears drooped and her tails sat listlessly on the floor. There was a look in her chocolate eyes that spoke of the deepest lamentation and suffering. Even though it was important to question her and the others, there was no way I could do so without first comforting the stricken Pokemon.

I untangled myself from the sheet that was wound about my legs and waist, then stood and padded to where the fire-fox was lying. I sat beside her and soundlessly reached over, scooping her up as the others crowded around me.

=I did it,= the fox whispered, pressing herself into my chest as I cradled her. The anguish in her voice made my heart break all over again. =I did it, I…I…I'm so sorry, I'm so sorry…=

"No," I said gently as the Pokemon started sobbing. "It's not your fault. Don't apologize for what happened to Ren, because you're not to blame for it. Those Vampires…those bastards are the ones who caused Ren's death! It's their fault, their burden to bear, not yours. If they hadn't done whatever sick things they're doing to sweet Pokemon like yourself, you never would have even been at the mansion."

_~All of us who have been tainted by what those Vampires have done things we regret while under the dark devices of their actions~_ the Gardevoir put in, kneeling down as she reached out and lightly placed a hand on the Vulpix's head. _~We all have done horrible things, but even though the pain or the anger or the regret is strong, we cannot let it overwhelm us. The things we did were not of our will, so we cannot be held responsible for them.~_

=This is true,= Auratail said as he moved closer. =When we were…when we were like them, the things we did were done out of madness and thoughtless fury. They were done out of a desperate need to destroy, to rip, to drink. The madness, the urge, the need…those are what drove us to do those awful things we have done. Not by our own will, not by choice. We were forced to do them, for the insanity gripping us would allow no other options.=

"They're right. You can't blame yourself; you can't let misery overwhelm you. If you do, you'd be letting them win. You have to stand against the pain and carry on through it. And when we finally find the Vampires that are to blame for this, we can make sure they feel all the pain we're feeling now. We'll make them suffer like we are, make them suffer worse, for the things they've done, the lives they've destroyed."

Once again, silence stretched on. The Vulpix in my arms sighed, and I felt her body relax a little. I knew that she was coming to terms with what had happened, though it would, understandably, be a while before she could fully accept it.

After several moments, I lowered the fox into my lap and looked around at the others, then nodded once. It was time to get to business.

"All right now, what do any of you three remember about the ones who caught you and made you Vampiric?" I asked. In my lap, the Vulpix shook her head slowly, and the Sneasal, who stood to my left, looked distressed.

=I don't remember anything!= he said, his voice pitched high as he nervously clicked his talons together. =I can't remember anything about them, except that there was a De_Mon _with them. And I can't remember anything about me, either! I don't remember anything about my family, or…or…=

=It's a sad affect of what we went through,= Aurapaw put in darkly. =None of us remember anything good about our lives before we were captured and turned into monsters. At least, none of us except for Phaina.=

=I could never forgot about my Momma,= the Psyduck added as everyone faced her. =Even if I was being pulled limb from limb and the only way to stop it was to forget about her, I could never do it.=

=I wish I could remember my name,= the Vulpix said wistfully, and the others, except for Musa, nodded in sympathetic agreement.

"Well, until you do, you guys should pick new names for yourselves," I said. "Just something simple that you wouldn't mind being called for a while."

=Domino,= the Sneasal said quickly, and I blinked as I faced him. The weasel gave a little twitch as he shrugged. =I, er…I just kinda liked that word, for some reason.=

"Okay then, well, if it's what you like, then go for it," I said, and the little Pokemon smiled as he nodded absently.

=It might sound silly, but I like Cinder,= the Vulpix commented, and I smiled a little.

"If we spell it with a 'y' instead of an 'i,' it would actually be pretty neat."

=Then I think I'll choose that,= the little fire-fox said, nodding her head firmly. I held back a little chuckle as I faced the Gardevoir, who settled on the floor across from me. She folded her legs beneath her body and rested her hands on her knees, settling back on her calves as she nodded serenely.

_~A prophet am I,~_ she began, her eyes sliding shut. _~I remember nothing of my life before the Vampires took me, but I _know _I am Prophet. Perhaps not my name; a title, mayhap. But that is what I shall call myself, for that is what I am.~_ Here her eyes opened, and she gazed at me with such an intensity, it felt like she was staring into my very existence. _~And I remember them. The ones who took me. I remember things about them, things they said. And because I am Prophet, I know that this is something you must know, that you need to know, and so I shall tell you what I remember.~_

_~There were five of them,~_ she started, and I realized I was holding my breath as she spoke. I didn't know what she was about to reveal, but I could sense it was something big, something major. _They were Vampires, all. They ambushed me while I was resting one eve, out of the shadows of the tree I was under. I can't remember how, exactly, but they caught me off-guard, and that was all it took.~_

_~They had Murkrow with them, one perched on each shoulder, to ward and shield them from my Psychic abilities. It was useless to try and fight back, but I did. In the end, though, my efforts were all in vain, and I was left barely conscious. However, I remained aware enough to hear things they said, and to understand them. One of the Vampires said something I found both interesting and frightful: "The Kii Nuht Darl shall be pleased with this."~_

"The Kii Nuht Darl'?" I repeated, a scowl crossing my face. "But that's DemonTongue…why would Vampires give themselves a title in the Demon language?"

=Oh!= Cree exclaimed, and I glanced over at him. –I remember now, too! Remember, when I first told you I heard them talking about what sounded like newts? It must have been 'Nuht,' not 'newt' like the animal.=

"Heh, that makes sense," I replied, nodding absently. Phaina wiggled a little, and I focused on her. "What's wrong?"

=What does that mean?= she inquired. ='Kii Nuht Darl,' I mean.=

"Well, its rough translation is "The Conquest Machine," though there are a lot of other complex meanings in the words," I answered. "I'm just wondering why a group of Vampires would give itself a name in DemonTongue."

_~To throw off any who are looking for a group of Vampires and not a group of Demons,~_ Prophet replied sagely, and I had to admit, that made a lot of sense. It was also ridiculously simple, but you know what they say. Hide a tree in a forest, all that stuff about being obvious yet subtle. _~But there is something else. Another said that despite interference from you and Hellsing, their plans were going smoothly. They also mentioned something about an entity called Millennium. I cannot recall what was said, exactly, save the important part: this entity has been making incredible advancements in the chips they've developed. Chips that-~_

"…That make Pokemon Vampiric!" I finished. Prophet inclined her head at my words, and a stunned silence fell over the lot of us. It had been so obvious, so simple! The chips were the only things the Vampiric Pokemon had really had in common, save the surgeries and the captures and such. I felt like an idiot for a moment, for not having figured it out by now. "This is great news, you guys. It means we're finally making some serious progress. We've got a name of the group responsible; we know what makes Pokemon Vampiric. We know how to cure said Pokemon, but not exactly how the process works. Most importantly, what we've learned will help ensure Ren's death won't be for nothing.

"Now then, I want to go tell this stuff to Integra, then have Kreil take those damnable chips out of your heads." As I spoke, I motioned to Cynder and the other two Pokemon I had Bound with her. "After that, well, we'll just have to see."

Minutes later, we were on our way to Integra's office. Phaina and the others trailed behind me, and a few of the people we passed gave us odd glances. I suppose we did make an interesting sight: a De_Mon _in her Host form, accompanied by her nine Bound. Not something you see everyday.

Finally, we reached our destination. I knocked on the door a few times, tail and wings twitching in nervous excitement as I did. A few seconds passed as I waited, and then the door opened, revealing Walter. I had to struggle to keep a dark frown from my face: my distrust of the man had only grown stronger in the weeks that had gone by.

"Ms. Nee," the old human announced as he glanced back into the room. I heard Integra's reply of, "Send her in," at which Walter nodded. He then turned back to me, giving a little bow as he stepped back and opened the door wider. I nodded back, a bit stiffly, and headed into the office.

Integra was standing in front of one of the windows, her back to me as a cloud of cigar smoke haloed her head. Her arms, I could tell, were folded over her chest, and she was standing tall and strong. Still, she seemed…beaten, run-down. Something about the way she was holding herself spoke of defeat. It was unnerving to see such a strong, iron-willed person so subdued, even if it was well hidden.

"I was just discussing with Walter the matter of how many troops we have left," the woman said after a moment. "We started with a little over two-hundred, but after the assault the other night, we are left with barely eighty. Most of those lost were Hellsing's own, though at least a dozen were Pip's men. We've also lost several dozen Pokemon, both those who belonged to our men as well as the Tanks. Our forces are weak, diminished, and in low spirits. We will have to find, hire, and train new recruits, but it will take time, and in that time, we will be vulnerable. Not only from the threats we are to dispose of, but from Iscariot and their Section Thirteen. If they get wind of our current weakness, we may be in dire trouble.

"But that is not a matter for you to worry about. What is it you wanted to talk to me about?"

"Er…" I stood in silence for a moment, a little shocked. Integra had just told me her worries, and even though it was clearly bothering her, she was willing to put it aside to see what I wanted. Behind me, I sensed tension in Prophet, Domino, and Cynder. That made sense, seeing as they were the cause of the deaths of so many. "Well, um, I have some new information that I wanted to tell you."

"I hope it's something good," Integra said softly as she turned, and I could see surprise in her ice-blue eyes as she spotted Prophet and the others.

"Very good," I said. "Prophet here," I motioned to the Gardevoir behind me, "remembers some interesting things about the Vampires who captured her. It seems the group responsible calls themselves the Kii Nuht Darl, which is DemonTongue. Basically, it means "The Conquest Machine." And who or whatever makes the chips that are in the Vampiric Pokemons' heads are called Millennium. And those chips are what make Pokemon Vampiric."

"Obviously," Integra snorted. "Something so plain we should have realized it the moment Kreil pulled the thing from Phaina's head. As for the rest…that's quite a lead we have now. With a name, or two in this case, we can start trying to track down those bastards. Is there anything else?"

"No, that's it."

"Very well, but before you go, I want you to know he was given a honorable burial." At my shocked expression, the young woman gave a soft smile. "You were unconscious for nearly two days, and in that time we have buried all our fallen. They were each given a military burial, as well as the highest honors that one can receive, both in life and after. All of them, including Ren."

"Th…thank you," I muttered, not really knowing what else to say. What did you say to someone who had just given a dear friend the best funeral they could have received? Integra nodded at the thanks and turned back to the window, yet another cloud of smoke exiting her nostrils as she stared out into the night. "I think you and your Bound should take a few days to rest. You can get back to your duties when you feel ready."

I knew a dismissal when I heard one, even one as kind as the one Integra had just given. I didn't say anything, but instead turned and silently exited the room. Walter bowed at me as I passed him, but I ignored him and walked out into the hall. A few minutes later, Phaina and the others had all joined me, and as a group we started off.

"We're going to Kreil's office now," I announced, mainly for Prophet, Domino, and Cynder's benefit. "He'll take the chips out of your guys' heads, and after that, we'll decide what we want to do."

_"Let's go! Everybody!  
Let's go! Tell them we're coming!  
Let's go! Everybody!  
Let's go! Stand up with me!"_

Once again, the days slipped by. After Kreil had removed the chips from Prophet and the others' heads, we had all taken the time to get to know one another better. Afterwards, we'd pretty much just loafed about, consoling one another in our grief and looking for acceptable outlets for the fits of rage that would come over us.

Integra and Walter were going through the tedious process of finding and hiring people to replace the troops that had died, and Walter had gotten a fresh batch of Tanks that needed to be trained. Seras, Pip, and several other commanding officers were given the task to training and leading the troops as they were hired, a duty I didn't begrudge them. I never was much of a leader, honestly. I tried to avoid the training regimens as much as I could; mainly it was because I was tired of being ogled at by the rookies. I could understand their surprise, learning things they thought were myth were actually real and finding a De_Mon _helping instead of killing everyone, but really. It was rude to stare.

It wasn't even a full week later that the madness began. Reports started coming in like mad about rogue Vampires that needed to be dealt with. Hellsing was strained to the max, since many of the new troops hadn't received enough training to be out in the field yet. That meant a lot of the workload fell on the remaining original officers. Even Alucard was being worked more than usual, which didn't bother me too much. The more he was out happily dispatching his troublesome brethren, the less time he had to lurk around the mansion and possibly bother me. I had to be honest though: ever since Ren's death, the Vampire hadn't been as irritating towards me as usual.

On the third night of the attacks, my Bound and I decided our help was needed in dealing with the unusual number of Vampires. I went to let Integra know we would be giving our assistance, which she readily accepted. She then dispatched us to what she referred to as a "heavily infested area." She hadn't been sarcastic, either, because when the lot of us arrived at the scene, there were several Vampires chasing a young woman around.

After putting an end to the fun, and non-lives, of eight Vampires, Prophet used her impressive Psychic abilities to hypnotize the woman into forgetting her traumatic experience. The dazed human was then sent on her way, while we returned to the mansion and received a new mission. This went on for two more days, and on the fifth I was ordered to accompany Alucard, as was Prophet. It was mainly because of the Gardevoir's ability to make people forget choice things. After all, wherever Alucard reaped destruction, there was usually someone present who needed to be dealt with in one way or another. By sending Prophet, Hellsing could avoid costly bribes or spilling innocent blood.

The three of us departed the mansion, heading to our destination in silence. Musa and the others, at Integra's asking, had gone off with various squads to deal with other issues while we took care of ours. It felt odd, to be away from them like this, but it wasn't too bad since Prophet was with me.

After a few moments, we came upon a limo. Alucard wordlessly got in, and after a second I followed him. Prophet slid in after me as I caught a glimpse of long braided hair.

"I 'ope you don't mind if I speed a little," Pip said cheerfully as Prophet pulled the door shut. "As soon as I get deliver you lot, I 'ave anozer mission to see to." Not even a second after finishing his statement, the limo let out an un-limo-y roar and lurched forward, zipping along at what to be, at the very least, seventy miles an hour.

Within ten minutes, the Frenchmen drew the car to a stop, and I had to stop myself from crawling over Prophet to get out. As it was, I did well not to push the Gardevoir out as she was exiting, and all but tumbled onto the ground in my haste to get out.

"Never again am I riding in with you when you drive like that!" I said to Pip as Alucard got out on the other side. "You said speed a little, not drive in oncoming traffic, over curbs, and over several lawns!"

"You've never ridden unless a Frenchman in an 'urry was driving!" Pip replied with a grin, and I grumbled under my breath as I pushed the door shut. There came a muffled laugh from inside, then the limo peeled off with another roar. I watched it go, wincing as the limo practically jumped over yet another curb. Dear Aruseusu…

Then I heard shouting and turned. Pip had dropped us off in a seedy little part town, where sleazy nightclubs gathered the corrupt, drugged and inebriated them, and spewed them back into the world twice as bad as usual. In front of us was an alley, vanishing into impenetrable shadow within five feet. On our left was the back of some strip club or another, and on the right was the back of a bar. Or maybe it was the other way around. Both buildings were a dingy white, with a single, sputtering fluorescent light above dull blue doors. Several dumpsters poked out of the shadows that swallowed the alley, and the stink of overripe trash assaulted my tender nose.

The source of the shouting took a moment to show itself, but show itself it did. Three figures tumbled out of the shadows as Alucard started forward, and I followed hesitantly as one of the three, a man, grabbed another by the shoulders. This man shuffled around and yelled out a bit of gibberish; drunk, obviously. He flailed his arms about randomly, trying to knock away his attacker, but the first man had a solid grip. The third hovered around the edge of the shadows in the alley, but gave a shout when he noticed us approaching.

"Hey Varse, we got ourselves some dinner company!" the pale-skinned, lanky man jeered, taking a few cocky steps towards us. He ran a hand through cropped black hair, as if trying to impress, and patted down a white, unbuttoned dress shirt. He then stuck his hands in the pants of his blue jeans, grinning viciously as his partner in crime glanced over.

"Company?" this one repeated, his blunt features pulling to a scowl. He lifted one hand from his victim's shoulder to push a lock of his auburn hair out of his eyes. He wore no shirt, and his black shorts were ripped in several places. Either he liked the homeless look, or he cared squat about his appearance. "I dunno about company, but I don't think this guy is fit to drink. Maybe we can just kill him and get our dinner from these jokers."

"The only jokes I see here are you two, and you're not even funny," Alucard replied, and I rolled my eyes at his comeback. He just couldn't resist taunting his targets, nooooo. He couldn't just blow their heads off and get things over with, nope. God, how I hate egotism.

"Let's just get this over with," I said, stepping up to stand beside him. The two Vampires blinked, only now getting a good look at me. The black-haired one muttered something I couldn't make out, while the auburn-haired one gave a surprised grunt.

"A De_Mon_?" he then inquired, and I couldn't resist, Yeah, yeah, I'm a bit of a hypocrite, so sue me.

"Yeah pal, _reeeaaal _astute of ya. Did you come to that decision all by yourself? I hope you didn't hurt your brain by noticing and stating the obvious," I said, and a chuckle rose from both Prophet and Alucard. Our wise Vampire friend scowled even more, releasing his drunk and completely clueless prey as he turned to face me fully. His companion gave a bark of laughter as he stepped forward a few more paces.

"You two really are a couple of jokers, ain't ya?" he commented, his grin growing. "But you know, you shouldn't make fun of people. It's rude, and tends to make people angry, and when people are angry…well, they can get pretty aggressive."

"Oh, for Aruseusu's sake, just shut the hell up. While you're at it, magically die so we don't have to waste our time dealing with you," I shot back. "Seriously. You idiots running all over the place, thinking you're so big and bad and mighty. It's just annoying."

"None of them have the manners or the decency to simple die," Alucard said airily. "They force us to come out and clean up after their messes, then dispose of them. Such a disappointment, such an annoyance. I tire of these games…" The Vampire then absently reached into his coat, drawing forth his Jackal as our targets pulled themselves up. Apparently, they didn't like the mean things we were saying, and were getting aggressive.

"I think it's time to-" the black-haired Vampire started to say, but was cut off as Prophet slowly waved an arm through the air. At the motion, a violet haze sprang to life around the two undead, freezing them in place as they stalked forward and cutting off Blue Jeans mid-sentence. Both of them adopted surprised, angry looks, and I sighed.

"Not worth the time, or the effort," I grumbled. "Integra could've just sent me and Prophet to do something else. The only witness to all this nonsense is that guy," here I waved to the drunkard, who was now stumbling about aimlessly, "and he's so drunk he won't remember a damn thing about tonight. He'll be lucky to make it through the rest of the night without covering himself in unpleasant bodily secretions."

"You can both leave," Alucard replied as he took aim at Blue Jeans. "This will only take a few seconds. Teleport back to the mansion, get another mission. I'll eliminate these vermin myself."

"Meh, I'll hang around for the satisfaction of watching these twits get their brains splattered," I said, and not five minutes later, it was done. The Vampires' corpses dissolved into ash seconds after their deaths, and I let out another irritated sigh as I turned my attention to their intended meal. The man was staring, slack-jawed, at where the bodies had just lain. Then he looked up at us, blinked, and slurred, "Either of ya got some change so's I can catch a ride?" It took him several attempts to get his sentence out, and by that time, Alucard had turned and started off. I flicked a hand-paw at the man, shaking my head.

"Yeee, you humans. Why you get yourselves so messed up, willingly no less, is beyond me. I don't have any money, I'm a freaking De_Mon_, which you obviously can't tell through your stupefied haze, and he just shot two freaking Vampires! Which, again, you can't seem to grasp, what with your brain all screwed over by beer, and other things too, I'll bet." At this, the man just gave me a pained look, then turned and staggered into the building on the left. I had a moment where I felt sorry for him, but it quickly passed.

"No one will believe anything he says," Alucard said, his voice distant. I turned and hurried to catch up, nodding as I did.

"Like I said, we wasted our time coming. He's so completely fritzed, he'll probably think it was just a dream come morning. If he's even functional by then, of course."

_~Doubtful,~_ Prophet stated. _~I saw his mind. He's barely able to remain standing. That is why the Vampires picked him as prey. They thought it would be an easy kill, and it would have, too. There was simply no way that man could have done anything more than shout and wave his arms. Why humans disgrace themselves so...~ _The Gardevoir slowly shook her head, apparently as confused as me as to why humans enjoyed getting so smashed.

Then I noticed movement, just outside my range of vision. I turned my head a little to the right, seeking the source, and spotted a second later. A De_Mon_, what kind I couldn't really make out, was hastily flying towards where Alucard had just shot the Vampires. I tracked its path, watching it land a few moments later in the alley.

"De_Mon _at six," I called to Alucard, who was still walking off. He paused, glancing back at me, and I motioned towards the alley. "One just flew back to the alley."

"Really? Perhaps this night won't be a complete disappointment…" he said softly, a faint smile curving his lips. He then turned fully and started back the way we'd come, and I wordlessly followed. It would most likely be another waste of time, but hey, I wasn't about to walk away from the chance to rid the world of one more of my cursed ilk. There was a moment where I wondered if it was the right thing to do: after all, De_Mon_s could feel something, even if was only towards their Bound. Then I pushed those misgivings aside. Maybe De_Mon_s could feel a deep bond with their Bound, but the death and mayhem they caused was more than enough to justify their extermination. Also, there was something highly suspicious about the whole thing: a De_Mon_ just happening upon an alley where two Vampires were slain? I had the feeling that maybe, just maybe, those Vampires had been members of the Kii Nuht Darl, and that De_Mon _in the alley was one of the ones working with them.

We came upon the alley moments later and found the De_Mon_ with its back to us. It turned out to be an Arbok De_Mon_. The thing's sinuous body had to measure at least fifteen feet long, and was as thick as me. The purple scales had darkened to almost black, and were peeling over a large area. Leaking from under the scales was an oily yellow sludge. The large hood framing the thing's head was twice the size of a normal Arbok's, and decorated around the edge with inch-long white spines. Its had three oddly-positioned wings, two halfway down its back and one about two feet down from those. They were the same color as the De_Mon_'s body, and were twitching in what was probably anger. The thin membranes stretched across the bones were ripped in several places, and I wondered how the thing could even get airborne, let alone actually fly.

"Useless, useless and absolutely unworthy!" the thing was hissing, skittering around on a series of spindly legs, like those of a centipede. "How on earth could they have gotten themselves killed?!"

"Try looking behind you," I called as we drew closer to the thing, and it whirled so fast I swear I heard bones pop. Its head was blocky and swollen, and I could barely make out its tiny eyes. Its muzzle was long, too long, and filled with dagger-like fangs. A long tongue hung from the side of its jaws, dribbling drool in a most disgusting manner.

Before it could do anything but sputter in shock, Alucard pulled out his Casuli and opened fire. Within the same second, the De_Mon_'s third wing exploded in a shower of bone and blood. The De_Mon _screeched in pain and coiled in on itself, then lunged into the air. Its remaining two wings pumped furiously, and before Alucard could fire again, it was out of range.

Without saying anything, I leapt into the air, my four wings beating hard as I rose into the air to give chase. I quickly caught up with the thing; it didn't look like that third wing would have been useful, but it was moving slower and more erratically than it had earlier. Within minutes, I reached out and slashed an arm-fin at it, knocking it from the sky as it gave an angry cry.

After another moment, I landed and stomped a foot-paw down on the thing's throat. However, the oily sludge made it nearly impossible to keep the De_Mon_ pinned down, especially with the way it was twisting its flexible body around. I nearly fell several times before digging my claws in. That didn't help much either, because then the De_Mon_ managed to wrap a coil around me and begin squeezing. Puffing, I steadied myself before lashing out with my other foot-paw, catching it in the face and feeling my claws rip at the tender scales. The blow was enough to make it release its hold on me, and a heartbeat later, the thing let out an ear-splitting scream as an iridescent, dark pink glow appeared around it. I turned to see Prophet gracefully striding towards us, one arm raised. I nodded my appreciation at the Gardevoir as the De_Mon _beneath my foot-paw abruptly fell still. The Psychic attack had weakened it enough to end its attempts at freeing itself.

"How interesting," came Alucard's voice from behind me. I twisted around in time to see him emerge from the shadow of a tree not far away, a large grin sitting upon his pale lips. His sunglasses were off, as was his hat. Where either were was anyone's guess, though at the end of it all, he somehow always had them back. "You seem upset to have found two deceased Vampires. I wonder why a De_Mon_ would care about such a thing, unless they had some important business to see to with said Vampires. But of course De_Mon_'s and Vampires don't work together. Well, given this one exception." The Undead drew to a halt about a foot away, smiling down in an unpleasant manner on the De_Mon _beneath my foot-paw. "My patience is worn tonight, so be a good little pest and tell me what you were meeting those Vampires about."

Heh…heheheeeee…" the De_Mon_ laughed weakly, twitching beneath me. "The mighty Alucard, and the Benign trash. I should have realized. You two, and the whole damned Hellsing organization, have been a real thorn in our side. But it's all right. Tonight wasn't important, and neither were those idiot Vampires. They weren't even part of the Kii Nuht-" Here the thing cut itself off, suddenly looking extremely uncomfortable. I snorted a little and dug my claws in a bit more, eliciting a hiss of pain from the De_Mon_.

"The Kii Nuht Darl. We already know what the little Vampire gang calls itself, so don't worry. You didn't just make a complete screw-up, not really. What we want to know is why you were coming to meet those Vampires. If they weren't members of the Kii Nuht Darl, what was the point of the meeting? Were they spies, tools, or maybe initiates or something? Spit it out fast, too, because we're all a little irritated right now."

"Aheheheh, I don't think I feel like speaking to you. Ssssso ssssssorry," the De_Mon _replied, hissing sarcastically on the last two words. I growled softly, stepping down on the thing's throat a bit harder. It sputtered and coughed, its body writhing weakly as its beady eyes bulged in their sockets.

"Well, if you don't want to talk, I don't see any reason in wasting anymore time with you," I commented, then pulled my foot-paw from the creature's throat. It gulped down air as a surprised look came over its face. Then the sound of a gun being cocked rang out loudly, and the thing's expression of shock turned to one of horror. Its head snapped to face Alucard just as the Vampire's Casull fired, turning its head into a shower of red blood, gray brain, and white skull.

The De_Mon_'s body convulsed slowly for a moment, the wings twitching, and then it fell still. Alucard stared down at the dead thing, his expression one of contempt and anger. Wordlessly, he placed his gun back in its sheathe, then turned from the De_Mon_. I watched as he started off, understanding his feelings. The De_Mon_'d had important information, but since De_Mon_s could resist mental assaults, it would have been impossible to learn what it had known. Neither Alucard nor Prophet would have been able to read the thing's mind, and neither would have been able to enthrall it into speaking the knowledge it had.

Overall, it had been a giant waste of time, and an utter disappointment.

A few days afterward, the sudden increase in Vampiric activity dropped down to a more normal level. After a great deal of talking about it, we concluded that the Vampiric activity was some sort of distraction, planned and executed courtesy of the Kii Nuht Darl. What they were trying to distract us from was the thing we needed to figure out.

Our attention was pulled away from the matter about four nights after Alucard and I had been sent out. Integra called a meeting among the highest-ranking officers and personnel, which included me, at Walter's request. Pip, Seras, and Alucard were also present, as was Kreil and several other people whose names I didn't know. The lot of us met in one of Walter's research labs, which was a spacious room that was almost as blindly white as Kreil's office. It was filled with all sorts of complicated technology, including some very expensive-looking microscopes and other fancy things. I folded my wings tightly around my body, twined my tail around my waist, and did my best to not touch anything. As much as I didn't trust Walter, I didn't want to break any of the doubtless costly items scattered about. Phaina and the others also did what they could to make themselves more compact and less of a threat to all the equipment surrounding us.

"I've asked you all to come here so I could share my discovery with the people who are most inclined to know," the old human started as the group of us finished gathering around. We were loosely grouped around a large wooden table, upon which sat a simple white cloth. On this was one of the chips that had, in the past, resided in the head of one of my Bound. I glared at the thing, and sensed the tension and distress fluttering through the Pokemon crowded behind me. "This is a chip that was, until recently, implanted in the back of the head of one of Ms. Nee's Bound." Everyone's attention shifted towards us for a moment, and I fidgeted uncomfortably. Luckily, Walter started talking before too long, everyone turned back to him. "Dr. Kreil gave me one of the chips to study, and I have been doing just that for the past several days. And now, I'm pleased to say I know how these things work.

"You see," he continued, picking up the chip and making sure everyone could see it, "these chips are much more complex than they first appear." At this, he reached up with his other hand and deftly pulled the chip apart. He then twisted the piece in his hand, so the inner side was visible to us all. Attaching the two sides were dozens of tiny wires, and sticking out from the visible side was a small tube. It was made of some clear material, glass or plastic I couldn't tell, and was about one-sixth of an inch in length. Releasing the other side and letting it dangle, Walter pointed at this tube and went on with his explanation. "This vial contains trace amounts of Vampiric blood, and testing revealed all the other chips do as well. This means these chips were once full of Vampire blood at some point. I've also discovered that these chips have a feature that allows the vials to be ejected via remote control.

"The process of making a Pokemon Vampiric is a complicated one," Walter went on. "The Vampire blood, I assume, would have been ejected into the Pokemon's bloodstream after the surgery in which the chip was placed. Depending on the relative size and health of the Pokemon, turning could have taken anywhere from a few hours to several days.

"I've conducted a few tests using Pokemon blood, and the small amount of Vampiric blood I was able to gather from the tubes, and this is the most important information of all. It seems that Vampiric DNA infects and mutates a Pokemon's DNA the same way it does a human's. However, in the tests I ran, after several days the Pokemon DNA slowly returned to normal. In effect, time cures a Pokemon of its Vampiric affliction. Hormones released in the Pokemon's blood override the Vampiric DNA, which is what undoes the initial infection and mutation.

"The only way to prevent this would be to continually introduce fresh Vampiric DNA into the Pokemon's blood. Thus, we can safely assume that once the Vampire blood in the vial was ejected, it was refilled with the Pokemon's blood after it was turned. This would then be released say, three or so days after initial infection. By this time, hormones would have begun overwhelming the Vampiric DNA. Releasing a Pokemon's pre-infected blood, which hadn't been saturated with these hormones, would cancel out the hormones and keep the Pokemon Vampiric. Then, new blood would have filled the vial afterwards, blood that lacked the needed hormones to override the Vampiric DNA. This process would then be repeated for as long as the chip remained active."

"And have you learned how Binding the Vampiric Pokemon cures them?" I asked.

"I have a viable explanation, but it's not definite," Walter replied, and I nodded for him to go on. "The chips have all be shorted out, it seems. It's my guess that when you Bind a Vampiric Pokemon, the initial rush of energy from your spirit entering their body floods the chip. Not only does this make the chip cease functioning immediately, but the flood of De_Mon _energy also cleanses the Vampiric DNA from a Pokemon's system. Perhaps the energy encourages a sufficient amount of the needed hormones to be released into a Pokemon's blood, or maybe the energy itself destroys the Vampiric DNA. Either way, the chip is effectively destroyed and the Pokemon automatically cured of its affliction upon being Bound."

"Why, exactly, do Pokemon go mad when they become Vampiric?" Seras inquired after a moment's silence, and I answered the question before anyone else could draw breath,

"The new recruits. You've seen how their Pokemon react towards you and Alucard. The new Tanks, too. Most Pokemon have a natural aversion to Vampires, just like dogs and cats and other certain animals. They can learn to set aside their disdain with proper training, or if they knew the Vampire well when they were still a human. Your Pokemon, for instance. You had such a tight bond with them before you were turned that they don't feel uneasy around you, or a lingering dislike for you.

"The point is, Pokemon aren't fond of Vampires, for the most part. For them to be made Vampiric is strictly unnatural. To be something they pretty much hate would drive anyone nuts, I think. It'd be like a torture of the mind. I mean, if you hate roaches and suddenly became one, wouldn't you go a little crazy?"

So it was that we finally learned how the chips worked and why Binding a Vampiric Pokemon cured it. Granted, the answers weren't exactly backed by solid evidence and all, but it was still a relief to have answers at all. The lot of us filed out of Walter's lab and went about to do our own things. Well, until Integra called some of us back together for an emergency meeting.

Within an hour, Pip, Alucard, and I were standing in Integra's office. The leader of Hellsing was sitting behind her desk, elbows atop the wooden structure, hands clasped together, She had a cigar clamped firmly in the corner of her mouth, and she looked mad enough to smack someone upside the head if they said the wrong thing. When she spoke, her tone reflected the anger in her eyes.

"The _Morinstar _is a newly-crafted battleship that was completed about a week ago by the British Naval services. Her main purpose is to patrol British waters during times of unease in order to help defend against aggressors trying to sail into British territory. She's designed to take a great deal of damage: her hull is thick and sturdy, able to take weaker missiles and torpedoes without sustaining damage that would sink lesser crafts.

"Tonight was the night of her maiden voyage. However, we have just received disturbing news. A small group of De_Mon_s has apparently boarded the vessel, and though their intentions are unclear, we will NOT stand by and allow them to defile such a fine British accomplishment!

Your mission is simple. A vessel will transport you the _Morinstar_, and you will destroy the De_Mon_s that have boarded her. Then you will return. You are to leave immediately. Nee, I'm afraid only a few of your Bound may accompany you, as there is a limited amount of space on the vessel."

We were then dismissed, and I stopped by my room to decide who would be coming with me while Alucard and Pip headed off to the "vessel" we'd be riding. In the end, I chose Phaina, Prophet, and Musa. Phaina would be the most comfortable about the water, Musa didn't take up any room since he pretty much hovered everywhere, and Prophet's psychic powers would very likely come in handy if we had to keep any De_Mon_s from fleeing.

Afterwards, the four of us hurried to meet the others, and within twenty minutes we were on our way. None of us spoke as we zipped along in our little stealth-boat-thing. I'm not sure what it was, and didn't feel like asking. It was kind of like the boat we'd taken to the island days before, only it was faster and quieter.

About an hour or so of silence passed by before I saw the ship. At first, it was just a speck on the horizon, but as we drew nearer, I saw just how impressive it really was.

It was massive, spanning several dozen yards in length and just as many high, and was painted with the whitest paint I'd ever seen. Several feet from the top was painted a band of royal blue, and printed in the middle was the battleship's name. I didn't know what kind of font it was, but it was very complex and pretty, with each letter delicately flowing into the next. I wondered how long it had take to get that painted on and how much effort it had taken. Overall, the thing was pretty awe-inspiring, and I found myself thinking I'd hate to see it chasing me down or something.

Once we drew up beside the ship, Prophet helped us board it by teleporting us on it. The vessel we'd came in on then sped away, putting a safe distance between itself and us before coming to a stop.

The moon was shining brightly above us, the waning crescent casting its white sheen upon water that looked black in the night. I glanced around, feeling nervous excitement coursing through me as I did. I didn't see any De_Mon_s, though, and that put me on edge. My kin weren't known for their courage in battle, and used whatever sneaky tactics they could come up with in order to win. Fighting like a coward ensured a longer existence than fighting honorably and face-to-face.

Pip let out Guerrier and his other two Pokemon, and the nine of us slowly headed off. Pip's Luxray, whose name was Jira, turned his large head left and right as his brilliant yellow eyes pulsed in the darkness. After several seconds, his head tilted down a few degrees, and he swept his head back and forth once again.

While the lion used his special vision to peer through the _Morinstal_'s workings and search for the De_Mon_s, Prophet was scanning the ship with her telepathic abilities. The only sounds were those of waves gently slapping against the ship's hull, and the muffled clicks and steps of us as we walked.

Then Prophet came to a sudden halt, a scowl crossing her features as her head tilted to the side. I stopped as well, looking back at her as the others looked back at us.

"What's wrong?" I asked, and the Gardevoir shook her head slowly as her scowl deepened.

_~There are no DeMons here. There are only crewmen and Pokemon…the Pokemon! They are Vampiric!~_

"Wait, what?! All of zem? 'Ow many are zere?!" Pip exclaimed, looking shocked.

=Not all,= Jira rumbled, and Guerrier translated the electric lion's words before I could. The lion's eyes were locked on some sight below the ship's deck, his tail whipping back and forth. =Four of them, coming towards us. They must have sensed our presence or something.=

_~A Stantler, a Noctowl, a Cacturne, and a Vigoroth,~_Prophet added. She then waved an arm, pointing a slender hand towards a door before us. Most likely, it led down into the ship's interior.

=They're splitting up!= Jira snarled. =The Stantler is coming this way, and the Vigoroth is heading back down further into the ship! The Cacturne is going to the left, and the Noctowl towards the right!=

"Split up," Alucard ordered. "Nee, you and your Bound will stay and deal with the Stantler. I'll head after the Vigoroth. Bernadette, take your Pokemon and get the Noctowl. Guerrier, you can catch the Cacturne." The Vampire then smiled widely, viciously, and turned as the cabin door before us suddenly busted open. Charging from behind it was the Stantler.

The deer bellowed a challenge as its crimson eyes gleamed in the moonlight. Powerful muscles surged under a tawny pelt as it came towards me, and I was barely aware of the others as they hurried off through the door the Stantler had stampeded from behind.

Said deer came within about two yards of me and gathered itself, then propelled itself through the air in an awesome, graceful leap. Long, lean legs pushed it up and forward, and as it hurtled through the air it aimed its head down. This pointed its elaborate, not to mention sharp, antlers at my vulnerable belly; obviously, the thing was trying to eviscerate me. However, I liked the idea of my guts staying in my stomach, so I nimbly danced out of the Pokemon's path.

The Stantler landed a moment later, its dangerous ebony hooves clacking loudly on the ship's metal deck. It shook its head in rage, and the moonlight made the black orbs set in the bottom of the deer's antlers sparkle brightly. I found myself become entranced by the sparkle, and it took an effort to pull my attention from them. I managed it just in time, as the Stantler was charging at me, roaring fiercely as it came.

Then it was blasted off its hooves by a brilliant orb of scintillating brown energy that came from my left, and I shot Prophet a grateful smile. The Gardevoir's Focus Blast couldn't have been more perfectly timed.

"All right guys, I need you to hold this thing off long enough for me to charge up a Specialty. I'm hoping to stun it long enough to Bind it, then go help the others," I told the three Bound, and they nodded in acknowledgement. I then moved back, erecting an Electrocution Barrier in case the Stantler tried to attack me again. Then I took in a deep breath and started to calm myself. I also kept an eye on the battle that was unfolding before me: if things started going poorly for my Bound, I didn't want to be so lost in readying my Specialty that I didn't notice if they needed my help.

As I watched, the Stantler regained its hooves from where it had landed in a heap. It let out that ringing bellow of a buck asserting dominance over his herd, then swung its head around to face Musa. The Spiritomb was preparing what looked like Faint Attack, but before he could act, the Stantler shook its head around. I could tell, despite my hindered view, that the orbs in its antlers were shining again, and this time Musa was the one becoming enthralled.

Then an eerie, wavering bluish-red orb came into my line of vision. The fire floated through the air, trailing a faint blue haze behind it as it weaved its way towards the Stantler. I watched as the Will-o-Wisp then gently collided with the deer's side, watched as it gave a somewhat comedic bark of surprise as the attack sunk into its body. Seconds later, the Pokemon was thrashing about in pain, its Burn distracting it from my Bound for the moment.

It didn't get to do it's "oh crap my freaking side is on fire" dance for long, though, because it was soon engulfed by a wash of lavender energy. I smiled a little as Phaina employed her Confusion attack to further hold the Stantler at bay. She was getting good at that, to be honest. I wondered when she had learned to use the attack in the manner she did.

My attention was then drawn back to Musa, who was swaying slightly. The sway abruptly turned into a vigorous shake as the Ghost roused himself from the nearly successful Hypnosis that the Stantler had been using. The Ghost let out an annoyed noise, then unleashed a weak Ominous Wind.

However, Musa's target was more hardy than it first appeared. The deer's eyes flashed brightly for the barest of seconds, then a burst of bright purple energy exploded from around it. The Extrasensory move was enough for it to free itself from Phaina's Confusion, and before Musa's Ominous Wind could hit, the deer leapt out of the attack's path.

As the Pokemon landed, I lifted an arm and started channeling the electric energy I'd been converting all this time down to my hand-paw. There, it started to slowly expand while I added more energy to it, continuing to watch the battle as the Stantler now charged at Phaina. The little Psyduck was taken aback by suddenly becoming the Bighorn Pokemon's target, and thus couldn't avoid the reckless Take Down that floored her seconds later. The Stantler didn't get away scotch-free though: the collision was strong enough to trip it up and cause it to tumble to the deck, a dazed look crossing its face as. It expelled a loud snort from its wide nose, ears fluttering as it struggled to get back up.

As it lay there, I saw Prophet lift an arm and close her eyes. A shimmering wave of amethyst light spread over the limb, and then vanished as the Pokemon's eyes snapped open. Just as she released the Psychic attack, the Stantler snapped from its daze and fluidly rose to its hooves, leaping about five feet straight into the air with a roar. When it landed a moment later, it threw itself at Prophet and slammed glowing horns into her midriff. The Zen Headbutt was powerful enough to send the Gardevoir sprawling nearly a foot away.

Things weren't looking good for Musa and the others, and I was having serious thoughts about aborting my Specialty and just jumping into the fray. However, I saw a blur of violet and emerald suddenly shoot from where Musa had been hovering, and it looked like the Shadow Sneak was going to catch the Stantler straight in the face.

Of course, the Stantler wasn't having any part of that. Like Prophet had been, this Vampiric Pokemon wasn't some mindless beast being controlled by its madness. Somehow, it was focusing that strength granted by insanity and actually thinking about its options. This time, it decided to strike back with Musa's own move. A distortion settled around its strong body as the ebony orbs in its antlers flared, and then it seemed to sink into the shadows. Seconds later, it tore forward in a Shadow Sneak move, and the two blurs collided with the force of a small explosion.

Then the blurs took on their normal forms as Musa was thrown to the deck and the Stantler landed on its hooves. The deer shook its head and gave a short bellow, which abruptly ended in a high pitch of surprise as a torrent of water crashed into its side from the right. I smiled a little as the Stantler hit the deck, literally, and tumbled several feet before coming to a stunned stop.

As it tried to stand, I watched Prophet getting to her feet, an annoyed look in her eyes. She then lifted her arms, and a glittering haze appeared in the air around her. It slowly started to take on a color, though, the space between the glittering filling in with chestnut-brown energy. It also grew larger in size, going from about six feet in radius to around ten. Next, Prophet jerked her arms down, and the energy fell in around her before flowing down to her hands, where it coalesced into a giant orb.

I thought Prophet was going to release the Focus Blast then and there, but suddenly she vanished with a faint cracking noise. Then she reappeared with the same noise, Teleporting behind the Stantler as it finally gained its hooves and firing the massive sphere of energy at the deer.

The Pokemon gave a shocked little trumpet as it landed on its face, then flipped over completely from the momentum of Prophet's attack and hit the dark hard on its back. It then slowly flopped onto its right side, one leg twitching as it grunted faintly. The Focus Blast must have been stronger than it looked, to leave the deer so senseless.

By this time, the crackling orb of golden electricity around my hand-paw had crept its way up my arm. Hundreds of tiny tendrils leapt from the mass, then sunk back down into it as dozens of others took their places, over and over. I nodded once, then focused on the tendrils that were rising out of the electricity coating my arm. They instantly straightened, forming themselves into small spikes that then started growing larger and larger. As they got bigger, the electricity around my arm started to thin out as it was absorbed by the spines, until there was just the faintest layer left.

I smiled a little as I dropped my Electrocution Barrier, giving a stretch before striding forward. Once I was close enough, I swung my arm towards the Stantler and sent the spikes of energy after it.

"Electric Profession, Specialty: Spiker Blitz activate!" I called, and as the spikes arched over the stupefied Stantler, the sharp tips exploded into a frenzy of popping static. This then engulfed the Stantler, the bodies of the spikes looping around the deer's legs and antlers to keep it from escaping.

Seconds later the Specialty petered out, and I lowered my arm as I took a breath. The Stantler was now lying still, its eyes glazed and half-closed as its sides heaved. The Spiker Blitz would leave it paralyzed for a few moments, as well as weakened, and hopefully give me the time to Bind the thing. I crossed the few remaining feet between it and myself and knelt down, placing my hand-paw on the deer's side and preparing to channel a bit of my spirit into it.

I was interrupted by a shrill hooting before I could begin Binding the Stantler. Startled, I whirled to face the source of the noise and was surprised to see the Noctowl. It had apparently just flown from the cabin door that had been left open after the Stantler had busted through it, and as I watched, it soared right at Phaina. The Psyduck let out a squeak as the russet-feathered owl swooped down on her, its crimson eyes pulsing with strange power as it let out another screaming hoot. Seconds later, the Hypnosis left Phaina zonked on the deck, and before either Prophet or I could react the owl had turned back towards us.

Hooting fiercely, the Noctowl dropped towards Prophet as she lifted an arm, pulling back a wing and snapping it forward. A translucent funnel of air tore away from the owl's wing, whirling towards Prophet as it stretched and thinned out. Before two breaths had left me, the Air Slash had smacked Prophet in the chest and winded her, knocking her to her knees and leaving her breathless.

Next, the owl executed a neat midair flip and tore after Musa, spiraling up into the air before diving down at him with astounding speed. The Sky Attack looked vicious from where I was standing, and I wasn't about to let the owl hit Musa with it. Before I could offer my assistance, Musa seemed to snap out of his daze inflicted on him by the Stantler's Me First. He shook a few times, then glared up at the Noctowl as it plummeted towards him. The glare quickly turned to a sort of mean little smile, though, and the Ghost suddenly shot upwards as he flipped. Seconds later, his Keystone smacked into the Noctowl's beak, and as the Pokemon flapped about drunkenly from the Sucker Punch, I threw my arms up and released twin streamers of white flames.

"Fire Profession, Specialty: Ivory Burst activate!" The Ivory Burst was a weaker Fire Specialty, and could be compared to a strong Ember attack in terms of power. The beams of fire had a distance limit, though, and the Noctowl seemed aware enough to fly upwards away from them and out of the range of the Specialty. The pillars teetered a few moments as they reached their peak, then slowly collapsed in on themselves. As they reached me, the flames just sort of dissolved, the energy powering them spent.

Meanwhile, the Noctowl had flown up and was soaring in a circle above us. I watched as it then started to fly faster and faster, until it was just a brown blur spinning around in the night sky.

Great, an Agility move. That thing would be able to move twice as fast as normal now, and now it would be able to hit us with more attacks in less time. That meant we'd have to be super-alert, especially if we wanted to hit the thing with attacks of our own.

As I was contemplating this, the Noctowl screeched a shrill hoot, then dove. It made a few flips and twists, gathering speed as it did, and before I had a chance to defend myself the thing slammed beak-first into my stomach. I wheezed loudly, feeling the air in my lungs whoosh out from the impact. Then I regained my wits and lashed out with a Dragon Claw, catching the owl in its side as it tried to flap away.

The Noctowl let out a squawk as my talons hit it, knocking it aside and forcing it to furiously pump its wings in order to stay airborne. I sucked in a breath, trying to refill my aching lungs with fresh air as fast as possible. While I was doing that, a rippling wave of darkness struck the Noctowl in the back. The Dark Pulse set the owl to spinning crazily, and the Pokemon had its work cut out for it trying to remain in the air. I gave a thumbs-up to Musa, who was hovering behind the bird and looking please with his little ambush.

The Noctowl wasn't as impressed. In fact, I think it would have been safe to say the thing was downright pissed. As it finally righted itself, it let out an infuriated hoot and did a midair back flip. Then it shot through the air and smashed its right wing against Musa's eyes. The Wing Attack had enough strength behind it to throw Musa down to the _Morinstal_'s deck.

Before it could do anything else, a barely-there pulse in the air washed over it from the left. The Noctowl fairly screamed, writhing in the air as the haze engulfed it, then passed. I glanced over to see Prophet back on her feet, her hands held before her. Apparently she had just used a Shock Wave, and as the owl fluttered to the ship's deck, the Gardevoir did a few elaborate motions with her arms. Then she slapped her hands together, drew them apart, and fired an iridescent green sphere from them. The Energy Ball smacked the Noctowl upside the head, catching its left temple and snapped its head down sharply. The light tan feathers accenting its eyes and forehead swayed in the back draft of air that followed on the heels of the attack. It made the owl look decidedly nuts, and the sheer idiocy of it made me snort out a laugh.

Then the Noctowl seemed to come back to its senses, its eyes blazing with such intense anger and madness that a shiver worked down my spine. The large owl spread its taloned feet, snapped its wings open, and locked its crazed gaze on Prophet. Then it brought its wings together with a violent jerking motion before drawing them apart. The speed of it created a shimmering vacuum in the air before it, and out of this flew an orb that looked exactly like the one Prophet had just let loose.

The Energy Ball, generated by the Noctowl's Mirror Move, zipped through the air towards Prophet, but didn't have a chance to hit her. One second it was tearing forward, the next it was slamming into a blazing white shield. It slowly ground itself out against the Protect, and once it had faded completely the shield vanished. Just as that happened, a darkness settled over the deck, and I saw Musa hovering about a foot above the enraged Noctowl. As it flapped its wings and looked about, Musa seemed to grow larger and darker, until I couldn't make him out. As the Ghost readied his Faint Attack, I inhaled as deep a breath as my lungs could hold, and saw Prophet cross her arms over her chest as she closed her eyes and bowed her head.

Then a blur of utter darkness tore from where Musa had been, and I belched out a glittering Dragonbreath move. At the same time, tendrils of lightening started dancing around Prophet's body, and they quickly gathered into a crackling ball of electricity in front of the Embrace Pokemon. Then her eyes opened, her head snapped up, and her left arm swung out. The orb of lightening elongated, flew up into the air, then arched and fell back towards the ground as a large bolt.

The Faint Attack, Dragonbreath, and Thunderbolt attacks all collided with the Noctowl within the same breath. There was a brilliant flash of light, from which an agonized screeching emanated. Then the light faded, the darkness of the Faint Attack lifted, and the Noctowl was revealed to be sprawled on the deck, fainted.

Without hesitating, I walked over to where the owl was lying and dropped to my knees, placing a hand-paw on its feathery back and weaving a bit of my spirit into its. As I worked, I noticed the black circles around its eyes were quite thick, and the three black inverted triangles on its chest were long enough to touch the tops of the three on its belly. These markings were smaller and less noticeable on a female, which marked this one as a male.

As I finished the initial process of Binding, I heard Musa and Prophet both give startled shouts. I scowled and turned to see what the commotion was about, only to take a razor-sharp hoof to my chest. Another cracked against my right shoulder, and a long gash opened where both hooves had struck. I was knocked flat on my back by the force of the Double Kick, wincing as the injuries stung and oozed blood.

"Damn stubborn thing," I growled as I rolled to my knees, stood, and spun around to face the Stantler. It was unsteady on its hooves, obviously not fully recovered from the beating it had taken earlier. The fact that it was standing now was proof of how tough the thing was. I wasn't about to let it squeeze out another attack, though. As it lowered its head in preparation of one move or another, I jumped at it and jerked my right arm around, whacking it in the chest with the flat side of my arm-fin. This caused it to stagger back, right into a sudden beam of glistening, multi-colored energy. I blinked in surprise and glanced over at Prophet, who lowered her arms and gave a puff as the Stantler was sent flying. It landed with a painful thud a few moments later, rolled once, then it came to a stop. A few seconds ticked by, and it didn't make any moves to get back up. Satisfied that it was down, I plodded over to it, knelt down, and set to Binding it.

Once I was done with that, I stood and bent backwards. It took a minute, but finally my spine popped in several places, and I gave a relieved sigh as I straightened. I then studied the wounds the Stantler's hooves had inflicted, and was pleased to see them slowly knitting themselves closed. They'd be fully healed within five minutes. Next, I padded over to where Phaina was lying, still knocked out from the Noctowl's Hypnosis. I prodded her gently with a claw, but got no response save a loud snore.

"Dang, she's zonked," I muttered, Musa and Prophet joined me, and I glanced at them before sighing. "All right, can you guys wait here with Phaina? I don't like the idea of leaving her here by herself with her all passed out like this. If I need any help, I'll call mentally, and one of you can come while the other stays here."

=Why don't one of us just come with you now?= Musa inquired, and I shook my head.

"Just in case the De_Mon_s come back, or one of the other Vampiric Pokemon tries to pull an ambush or something. I think it would be best for both of you to stay here for now, and keep an eye on one another's backs." The two Pokemon nodded at this, and I smiled a little at them. "Right, thanks. See you later."

Ten minutes later I was thoroughly lost, wandering aimlessly down one of the many twisting halls of the _Morinstal_. Everything was white down here, and all of it lit by weak lamps sticking from both walls every couple of feet. There were also pipes everywhere, and they, too, were white. I wondered what the deal with all the white was and what a pain it would be to clean if someone decided a food fight was in order.

On I went, until I heard a sort of growling noise coming from somewhere ahead of me. The hall I was in split about three yards down, one hall branching left and the other right. It was from the left one the growling was coming, and I moved as quickly and quietly as I could manage. I had to move at a sort of jumping trot, since I was trying to keep my toe-claws from clicking against the metal flooring.

I reached the corner and slowly peeked around it, getting a shock as I did. On its knees before me was the Cacturne, its emerald body hunched over something on the ground. Thousands of small black spines grew all over it, and larger emerald ones grew from the tops of its arms and the outer sides of its legs. Atop its head was a large leaf, which roughly resembled a diamond with sides that curved in and was the same color as the larger spikes. From each of the four tips grew three small spurs.

I pulled back around the corner and took in a nice deep breath, infusing the air with energy before flinging myself forward, turning to face the Cacturne as I cleared the corner. I dropped my jaws a second later and released the Dragonbreath attack, watching the brilliant yellow energy slam into the cactus. It let out a strangled sort of noise as it was knocked forward, and before it could recover, I lunged at the Pokemon, pulling a hand-paw back as golden light sprung to life around my talons. Then I whipped my arm out, tilting my body down and splaying my fingers as my claws struck the Cacturne's back and raked across it. The force of the Dragon Claw lifted the Pokemon into the air several inches and threw it forward, and I had to execute a few tight spins in order to remain upright. In the end, I wound up crouched about two feet from where I'd attacked the Cacturne, wings half-spread to help balance me out. As I stood, I saw what it was the Cacturne had been leaning over.

It was Guerrier! The Lucario was lying on his belly, arms and legs splayed in a manner that immediately revealed he was knocked out. I wondered how that had happened, seeing as Guerrier was nothing close to a pushover. In the end, I came to the conclusion that the Cacturne must have ambushed him or something.

I walked over and knelt by the jackal, seeing a spot on the back of his neck that was slick with drool. The fur stuck up in soaked clumps, and I couldn't help but lift a lip at the sight. The Cacturne had apparently been trying to bite Guerrier, but its fangs had been unable to penetrate the jackal's steel hide. That must have been why it was growling like it had been.

"Lucky boy," I grunted as I stood. Indeed, Guerrier was very lucky. If the Cacturne hadn't been held at bay by his hide, the Lucario would have probably been dead by now. I had no idea how long he had been gnawed on, but judging by how wet his fur was, it had been for at least several minutes.

As I went over the various possibilities of the situation, I heard an enraged cry come from down the hall. Startled, I looked up and saw the Cacturne charging at me, its flaring ruby eyes narrowed to slits in its fury. It lifted an arm as it ran, leaping over Guerrier as it reached him and whamming its upraised arm square into my chest.

I barked in pain as I danced back from the blow, feeling dozens of small, stiff spines sink into my flesh. It felt like having tiny, acid-covered needles driven into me, and it HURT, damn it! There wasn't much I could do about it though, because the Cacturne pointed its still-raised arm at me and swung it in a tight circle. As it did, dozens more spines flew from the arm, many of the hitting the walls, floor, and ceiling. These bounced around harmlessly, but the ones that hit me weren't as mild. They struck my neck, my face, my arms, and just about everywhere else.

Needle Arm and Pin Missile. Two attacks I'd have to add to my "DAMNED PAINFUL" list of moves.

As I snarled and swatted at the last few needles gleefully burrowing into my flesh, the Cacturne stepped back to ready another attack. It must have forgotten about Guerrier, though, because it kept moving back until it tripped over him, sprawling on its back a few moments later with a surprised yelp. I would have laughed, if I hadn't been imitating a pincushion at that moment.

As the Cacturne twisted about on the floor, I engulfed myself in flames in an attempt to destroy the spines embedded all over my body. There was a second when I thought it wouldn't work, since the spines didn't burn right away. A few seconds later, though, they fell away in a wash of ash, and the dozens of wounds they left oozed blood before beginning to seal themselves closed.

Satisfied that all the needles had been destroyed, I allowed the fire around me to blow themselves out, leaping over Guerrier as I did and turning a tight spin. I angled my body down as I was about halfway over the jackal, slamming the wide side of my tail into the Cacturne as I cleared Guerrier's unconscious body. The attack flipped the Cacturne into the air, and I sucked in a quick breath as it continued to gain altitude. Then I turned the breath into a Flamethrower, exhaling the massive stream of orange-red fire as I landed on a foot-paw.

As I lowered my other one to the ground, a white flare of energy popped to life in front of the Cacturne. As this happened, the Pokemon righted itself, performing a graceless twist in the air and landing on its blunt feet. As my Flamethrower crashed into the Protect, the Cacturne raised both its arms and started rubbing furiously at its head.

"What in the name of the Underworld?" I growled after ending my attack, watching the rippling, ivory shield flicker into non-existence. The Cacturne didn't seem to realize its Protect had ended, and was still rubbing at its head as if it had the worst itch in the world. As I looked closer, though, I noticed a mass of lime-green fluff hanging in the air above it. The mass was growing in size the longer the cactus rubbed its head, and by the time I realized what was going on, the thing was swinging its arms through the air and hurdling at me.

I recoiled from the Cacturne even as its arms slapped against my chest and were painfully dragged down my stomach. Many of the Pokemon's spines snapped off its arms and lodged in my flesh as the bright green mass of fluff was applied to my body. Snarling, I slashed at it with my right arm-fin, but my movements were sluggish. Cursing in frustration, I watched the Cacturne easily evade my Slash, dancing back out of my immediate range of attack.

I dropped my arm, where the fluff of the Cotton Spore had floated and settled, grinding my fangs. The spores were light and practically weightless, but it wasn't their weight that slowed me down so much. The spores caught air something bad, taking away the speed my streamlined body allowed me to normally move at. Imagine what it's like when you wave a cotton ball through the air, multiply that by about a thousand, and you can see why I was having such a hard time moving at anything faster than one mile per hour.

As I struggled to knock the clingy, sticky spores from my body, the Cacturne jerked forward. I tried to jump back, but moved too slowly. When the cactus's fist pounded into my chest, I felt the blow all throughout my body. I'm not talking just the physical pain of the attack, either; I felt a portion of my energy flowing out of my body. The Cacturne seemed to liven up a bit, though, which was to be expected since it had just used a Drain Punch, Damn energy-stealing thief…

It worked in my favor, though. For just a few scant heartbeats, the Cacturne couldn't move away from me. The Drain Punch required it to hold physical contact for a few seconds, else it would gain no energy from the attack. I took the opportunity to strike back, my jaws gaping open as I summoned fire around mt fangs. Just as the Cacturne was pulling its fist away, I lunged forward and clamped my jaws shut on the thing's shoulder, getting a mouthful of spines in the process.

I released the Cacturne with a loud snarl of pain, not having thought about the fact that my mouth would get spiked up using the Fire Fang. It wasn't for nothing, though, because the Cacturne let out a wail as it staggered away from me, its arm hanging limp at its side. The green flesh around where my fangs had hit was charred black, and I assumed I must have inflicted a burn on it.

While the Cacturne voiced its pain and considerable anger, I breathed in and loosed a small Flamethrower. It wasn't an attack, but simply to burn away the spines that had been shoved into my tongue, cheeks, and the roof of my mouth. I also took flamed the spores off myself, as well as the broken spines that had been stuck into me while the Cacturne was using Cotton Spore.

Of course, it was pretty much useless. Just as I was burning away the last of the spines, I looked up to see the cactus barreling towards me, moving fast enough to become engulfed in a faint glow of displaced air. I started to utter a very unladylike curse before I was cut off by the Cacturne's Giga Impact. The force of the attack not only winded me, it sent me sailing into one of the metal walls of the ship. I hit hard enough to dent the sturdy metal, and the dent was deep enough that I hung limply from inside it instead of collapsing to the ground.

"Daaaaaamn," I croaked, struggling to draw air into my abused, hurting lungs. I couldn't feel my right bottom wing: it had probably broken. The others were smarting fiercely, but I could still flutter them. They, at least, were still intact.

After several moments of feeble wiggling, I freed myself from where I'd hit the wall. I stumbled a bit, still unsteady from the attack, and only just realized I had a new set of spines sticking out of my front. I groaned loudly, beginning to get sick of flaming the stupid things. Not to mention I was already covered in at least a hundred bloody streaks from the now-healed wounds the previous spines had left.

Ignoring the needles, I lifted my arms and crossed them in front of my face. As I did, I saw that the Cacturne was so hunched over that its hands were almost touching the floor. The Giga Impact would leave it dazed for at least another moment or two. I smiled thinly as a sheen glimmered to life around my arm-fins; that cactus was about to get a little thank-you for being such a pain in the ass so far.

Seconds after it started to become active, I bellowed and threw myself at it. Just before I would have run into it, I jerked my arms down and sideways, ramming my glowing arm-fins into the back of the Cacturne's head. It made some sort of noise that might have been the beginning of a screech, but it was hard to tell since the thing's face smacked into the ship's floor in the next instant.

I nimbly jigged backwards as the rest of the Pokemon's body joined its head on the floor, cracking my neck quickly and lifting my arms up. There were a few spines sticking out of my arm-fins, but not many. There were apparently less spines on the thing's back than there were on its front, which was strange, yet good to know. Strange, because you'd think the thing's defenses would be stronger in the back, in order to protect it from a rear attack. Good to know because I could attack from behind without getting too many needles shoved into my poor body.

As I went over all this, the Cacturne stirred from its place on the floor before slowly clambering to its feet. Its crimson eyes were smoldering as it glared at me, loathing and insanity clear in that homicidal stare. It threw out its chest, and only then did I notice that the middle spine of the three large ones growing down its chest and belly was bigger than the others.

This was quickly driven from my mind as the Cacturne, which I now knew to be a female, jerked her arms up and slammed them into her chest. This caused the three large spines on her chest and belly to suddenly swell, each becoming about as large as a baseball. Then there came three loud bangs, one right after the other, and the bloated spines violently shot out giant glowing seeds.

"Aaaawww, crap!" I drawled as the Seed Bombs flew at me, striking me just as I finished my short sentence. One hit me in the throat, the second in the midriff, and the third slammed into my right knee. As they hit, each seed exploded with enough force to rip gushing wounds into my body, as well as knock me several feet away and to the floor.

I lay on my back afterwards, stunned and in a considerable amount of pain. My throat was the most worrisome thing, though. I somehow managed to find the strength to reach up, weakly prodding the wound and finding it wasn't as bad as I had feared. The hole was large, but thankfully it was also shallow, and the deepest part seemed to be under my chin. No major veins or arteries had been torn open, and for that I was extremely grateful.

My midriff and leg weren't so lucky. A gaping hole smiled at me when I sat up and looked down at where the second seed had hit. It wasn't so deep that my guts and such were visible, but it was hurting like hell and pouring a fair amount of blood all over the place. My knee, on the other hand, was utterly shot.

My leg was pretty much severed at the point where the third seed had struck; it was lying at an extremely ugly angle, twisted almost all the way behind me and lying on the calf. It was connected to the rest of me by a small mass of ruined flesh and muscle on the right side. Shards of bone were sticking out in various places, and several were lying on the floor around me. From this wound pumped the most blood, and I started getting faint just watching it spew out like it was.

Now was no time to lose my head, though. If I didn't act fast, I could go into shock, or die from blood loss. Not only that, if I waited too long, I might not be able to heal the awful injury to my leg, and De_Mon_s can't exactly re-grow limbs like certain Vampires. If we lose a leg or something, it's gone for good.

Luckily, the Cacturne became completely oblivious to me once all my blood started merrily spraying out of me. She squealed like a little kid, dropped to her knees, and eagerly started slurping up the still-steaming liquid as it spread into a giant pool around me. Maybe not a very practical distraction, but an effective one at least.

While the she-cactus did her best to clean my blood off the

loor via her mouth, I gasped and wheezed and grabbed my leg, twisting it into a more acceptable angle and focusing on the damage. I instantly sank into myself, thought it was hard to concentrate with all the pain and wooziness I was feeling. Not only that, but the green Hoover across from me was none too quiet in her floor sucking.

After a great effort, I managed to set my leg to mending. I opened my eyes, which had closed at some point, and watched as new flesh and muscle started to grow over slowly healing bones. The process took an agonizingly long amount of time, much longer than was comforting. And oh, was I starting to feel sick. My stomach was doing flips and twists, and my head was aching like I tripped down a giant flight of concrete steps and landed on each skull-first. Sounds were getting muffled and distorted, and my vision started growing fuzzy around the edges.

The delightful effects of blood loss, what fun they are!

I blinked sluggishly and tried to move my concentration to the hole in my midriff, but it proved to be too difficult a task. I groaned softly, thoroughly annoyed despite the dilemma I was in, and slumped back down onto the _Morinstal_'s floor. I let my eyes slid shut, all my focus now intent on ensuring I didn't let my rolling stomach empty itself on me. What a beautiful accent that would have made…

Then I became aware of a pulse in the room, so subtle I thought I was imagining it at first. It grew in strength quickly, though, and my eyes peeled themselves open. All I saw was the shadowy ceiling above me, so I had to force myself to sit up in order to see what was going on. What I saw was shocking enough to startle me back into full and total awareness.

Alucard was standing with his back to me, arms spread to the sides, head tilted back slightly. His hair was long, hanging down to just above his legs, and the sigils on his gloves were glowing dark red. His coat was billowing soundlessly around him. But none of that compared to the fact that the blood all over the floor -my blood, mind you- seemed to be absorbing into the Vampire as it hovered around him in thick, heavy drops.

Nice of him to offer if I wanted it back.

"You're a mess," came his voice, soft and almost like a purr. "I leave you for ten minutes, and look at the state you're in. Really, can't you watch after yourself for a while and not get into some sort of trouble?"

"Gah, shut the hell up," I managed to reply, my voice somewhat strained and croaky because of the barely-mending hole in my throat. "I'm already injured; can't you leave out the insulted part?"

"I suppose this will be a sufficient enough payment for my assistance," Alucard responded, and I assumed he meant my blood he was so joyfully absorbing. I snorted loudly at the comment, for I hadn't made any mention of wanting his help, just for him to shut up.

Suddenly he turned to face me, bringing an arm around and holding out a palm towards me. Then he flicked his hand down, and most of the blood hanging in the air shot towards me. It was a rather unpleasant feeling as it snaked its way back into my body, but I instantly started feeling all the better for it. The pain in my head and the roiling of my stomach lessened to a tolerable degree, and my hearing and vision returned to near-normal levels.

As I became clear-headed, the last remaining bit of blood seeped into Alucard, and the Vampire smiled a smile that I had never seen on him before. It wasn't a malicious one, or a spiteful one, or a cruel, taunting one. It was just…a smile. Small, but a regular smile nonetheless.

"Get yourself taken care of. I'll be waiting."

Then he was gone, turning and stepped through the wall I'd dented earlier like it wasn't there. I watched him go, completely taken aback. For one thing, how the hell had he stuck all my blood back in me? Well, save for what he'd taken as his "payment," that is. More importantly, why had he come to help me in the first place? How had he known I needed said help? And why had he smiled at me decently like that?

It was all very puzzling and worth dwelling on, but not right now. The Cacturne was looking about wildly, making desperate little noises as she vainly tried to find the blood she'd been a-sucking down moments before. I took the few remaining seconds I had before she turned her attention on me to get to healing. First up was making sure my leg was mended enough to stand on, then it was the hole in my belly. After shrinking the wound to one the size of a golf ball, I hastily healed my throat for a second or two. When I left off, it was mostly just a large patch of seeping blood, with most of the damage taken care of.

I was back in business, and it felt great!

I stood, careful with my leg since it was still healing, and breathed in deeply. I then let it back out as a Dragonbreath, an attack I hadn't used much in the past, but was obviously coming to like quite a bit. This one was somewhat weak, given the state my throat was currently in, but it was strong enough to leave the Cacturne dazed when it hit her burned shoulder. There was a moment when she gave a staggered sort of movement before jerking to a stop: I'd gotten lucky and managed to paralyze the thing, as well as burn her.

I then lifted my right arm, twisting it so my claws were pointing to the left, and spread my fingers wide. I took up a wide stance, three good wings fluttering and tail twitching as I started a powerful Fire Specialty. It was one of the strongest I knew, and would most certainly leave the Cacturne weak enough to Bind.

I focused on my spirit, drawing forth the energy needed to back the Specialty and directing it up my arm into my hand-paw. Once there, it leaked out and covered my talons, bursting into flame and growing out while still holding the shape of claws. The blazing talons didn't stop getting bigger either, but kept increasing in size until the tips of them brushed against the wall they were pointed at. Only when they were that large did I cut off the flow of energy from my spirit.

The exact second I did that, the flames changed color. They wet from the normal fiery orange-red of regular fire to a brilliant shade of cerulean, with golden-red tips and bronze streaks that curled themselves into arcane symbols.

"Fire Profession, Specialty: Archaic Inferno activate!" I declared, slashing my hand-paw around and watching the massive, flaming claws follow my movements. As the Specialty activated, the bronze symbols shone brightly against the blinding blue fire, seeming to leap away from the talons and hang in the air. In fact, this is exactly what happened, and as the claws of flames closed in on the Cacturne, these symbols shone brighter and brighter. Soon, they were giving off such a strong glow it was impossible to look directly at them, and it was then that the Specialty really got rolling.

An incredible power busted from the floating symbols, suffusing the air with a deep, rhythmic pounding that was reminiscent of a beating heart. With each pulse, the power seemed to thicken and intensify, until finally it felt like my bones were turning to mush and my muscles to jelly. Just as I thought I might have pumped a bit too much juice into the attack, the power receded and pulled itself into a visible ball of iridescent bronze. The symbols were gone, now a part of that very orb, which launched itself at the flame talons still gripping the Cacturne.

She was coming around now, but it was no good. The instant the bronze orb struck the talons; they flickered for the briefest of moments before collapsing into a massive, whirling vortex of cerulean and dark gold. The force of it was enough to create small funnels of fire and brilliant sparks that popped and flared before dying out. From within the confined area the Specialty took up came screams, emanating from the scarcely visible Cacturne the ancient, thunderous conflagration was targeting. The screams were soon drowned out by the dull roaring of the Archaic Inferno, and I assumed that meant she had fainted.

With a thought, I extinguished the Specialty and found the Cacturne facedown on the floor, looking slightly charred and most definitely knocked out. Around her was scorched, warped metal, burnt and twisted by the Specialty, and the smell of it stung my nostrils for a moment before it lessened. After giving the incinerated, and in some places melted, floor time to cool, I plodded over to the Cacturne and quickly set to Binding her.

Once I'd burned away the spines that I'd forgotten about till now and healed my broken wing, I heaved out a heavy sigh, gathered up Guerrier, and set off. The Vigoroth was last, and judging from what Alucard had said before leaving, he would most likely be where it was. Or he could have meant he'd be waiting for me to finish Binding all four Pokemon. It was hard to tell what he meant sometimes, exactly.

It wasn't long before I ran into Pip and his Pokemon, surprisingly enough. Jira was in the lead, bounding towards me with worried eyes as his gaze went to his unconscious friend slung on my shoulder. Beeje, the Chatot, was close behind, soaring after the electric lion on her baby-blue wings and making a troubled cooing noise. Pip came last, puffing to keep up with the others as he came in a slow, pained jog. By the time he reached me, I had gently placed Guerrier on the floor in front of Jira and was getting ready to head off again.

"Wh-what 'appened…to 'im?" the mercenary wheezed, one hand going to massage a stitch in his left side. Jira was sniffing the jackal, his tail swishing anxiously, and Beeje had landed on the lion's head, chirping softly.

"I think he got jumped by the Cacturne," I replied. "I mean, when I found them, he was getting chewed on by the thing and was already out cold. And since the Cacturne would have been at a serious type advantage, not to mention the fact that Lucario have those steel hides, I really think she had to have ambushed him. He's all right though, just a little drooled-up and unconscious." Then I was off, making my way up and down many hallways and passageways as I searched for the Vigoroth.

On I went, until I heard what sounded like a Weavile going to town on a chalkboard. The noise made me wince, my eyes squeezing shut as I pulled my shoulders up around my neck and shivered. I had heard that cry once before: it was the sound of a very, very, VERY pissed-off Vigoroth getting ready to rip up some unlucky bastard or another. Considering I'd just left behind a winded Pip to see to a fainted Guerrier, and Musa and the other two Bound were still on the ship's deck, it stood to reason that Alucard must be the unlucky bastard of the evening.

I hurried on, turning a corner and coming to a dead-end. The only thing down this way was a door to the left, which was open a few inches. I pushed it open and was greeted by a large room, which was empty except for a large desk that had been turned into so many matchsticks. Oh, and a very, highly, EXTREMELY pissed-off Vigoroth, and one crazy-as-hell-looking Vampire.

The Vigoroth was jumping about, waving its obsidian claws around madly. Its ivory pelt was puffed up, and the red tuft of fur between its eyes had bristled so much it looked like a bottlebrush. It then let out a loud snort through an equally red rose before thumping its chest with its paws, stubby tail twitching about madly. The dark brown mask around its eyes made it look crazier than it might have actually been, and when it dropped its russet bottom jaw to screech again, I decided that maybe it really WAS as crazy as it looked.

"It's about time," Alucard stated as I entered the room, cringing at the Vigoroth's furious challenge-scream. It felt like my ears would just curl up and fall off, which might have been preferable in all honesty. "This thing is getting on my last nerve. Are you ready to take over? I felt the power you released a few moments ago. It was quite impressive, I have to say."

I could only blink at the Vampire as he turned to face me, once again too shocked to speak. Had he just…complimented me?! And was he actually worried about whether or not I was strong enough to fight the Vigoroth? The implications made my head spin.

"I'm good," I managed to say a moment later. "I mean, I haven't taken the time to actually heal everything all the way, and I'm starting to run low on energy, especially after the Archaic Inferno…but I think I can handle this."

Just as I finished speaking, the Vigoroth ended its squeal of doom and turned to glare at me. In that moment, Alucard casually flicked a finger at it, and a blast of dark, spiraling energy popped to life around the distracted Pokemon. I could sense that it was some sort of Chaotic power, summoned from the deepest pits of the Underworld. For anyone to have that kind of ability, even Alucard, was an unnerving surprise.

The Vigoroth was clearly much more surprised than I was, though. When it was engulfed by the energy, it let out a little squeak, then a shrill keen as the energy went to work on it. Several heartbeats went by before the energy blew itself out, leaving an extremely stupefied Pokemon in its wake.

"I think I'll hang around, just in case," the Vampire said, not looking at me as he spoke. "This thing keeps taking hits and coming back for more. Its more determined to kill me than Musa was when I blew his old De_Mon_'s head apart."

"Hunh, well, if you wanna stay, be my guest," I said with a shrug. "Doesn't matter either way. By the way, thanks, you know, for earlier."

"You're welcome," Alucard said, giving the faintest of smiles as he glanced at me. "Though next time, I think I'll require more of a payment if I'm going to dawdle around with helping you."

"I'll make sure to fill a bucket or two for you, next time I'm impersonating a geyser," I replied, and received a small chuckle as Alucard turned back to the Vigoroth. His smile widened at something as he added, "Get ready."

"Whu-" I started to say as I turned, only to see a flash of something long, black, and sharp. Seconds later, the Vigoroth had sliced its claws all along my chest and shoulders in a vicious Fury Swipes. I snarled in anger, pulling back my head and letting my jaws gape open.

"Damn it all, I've done lost enough blood for about a week, thanks!" I snapped, then jerked my head down and clamped my jaws on the Vigoroth's face, shaking it a little before chucking it to the floor. As it fell, I lifted my right arm, then brought it down and hit the stocky Pokemon in the back with my arm-fin. The Slash connected solidly, but the next second the Vigoroth pulled off some sort of speedy flip, landing in a crouch and swiping both paws at me.

The Reversal worked in a simple manner. The momentum of my last attack was doubled back at me through the Vigoroth's hardy body, and so it was that I fell back on my ass a moment later, fresh wounds oozing blood along both arms. Then the thing threw back its head and pounded its chest like an angry Primeape, howling something fierce. It took me a moment to realize it was using Uproar, right about when the racket caused a painful thumping to radiate through my whole body.

"Gah, enough al-freaking-ready!" I shouted as my muscles started seizing up from the assault. I shifted a little, lifting my tail high into the air and channeling energy into it. There it was converted into electricity, and when I slammed my tail into the floor the next moment, the electricity was sent into it. "Electricity Profession, Specialty: Shadow Current activate!" Upon uttering these words, the electricity wreathed from a nearby shadow and whipped towards the Vigoroth, coiling around it and giving it a good zap. It was a rather weak Specialty, though, and didn't last for long.

The shock also seemed to invigorate it, unfortunately, and I remembered what Alucard had said about it taking a beating but still fighting on. It had been a while since I'd fought a Vigoroth, and I'd forgotten just how tenacious the damn things are. I was quickly remembering as it now charged at me, undulating blackness flowing over the two dagger-like claws on its right paw. These it slashed at me with more speed than one would have expected a relatively beaten-up Pokemon to move with. The Night Slash caught me along the cheek, though it had been aimed at my eyes. My good reflexes saved those fragile little things; I leaned my upper body back and to the left, so the very tips of the Vigoroth's claws made shallow cuts in the flesh directly under my right eye. I heard a soft whistle and knew that, even from where he was standing, Alucard had seen just how close to being blinded I'd come.

Now the Vigoroth leapt back, its left arm spinning as it landed. At first it went slowly, then picked up speed until it was a white blur. I knew what was coming and decided to play a mean prank on the Pokemon. I just had to time my move perfectly, or I might end up being the joke.

There came a subtle change in the Pokemon's stance, a shift in its muscles, and I knew it was about to attack. As it gathered itself in preparation to lunge, I erected an Electrocution Barrier, and when it came at me, I activated it. Instead of whacking me with a Hammer Arm like it had wanted to, the Vigoroth instead crashed smack-dab into the Specialty, getting a much stronger shock than it had from the Shadow Current.

The Pokemon hung in the air for several seconds, the powerful flow of electricity from the Specialty momentarily connecting it to the barrier. Then it was tossed to the floor, where it laid twitching and grunting faintly. I gave a little sigh as I allowed myself a moment to relax and catch my breath.

Then a shudder pricked its way down my spine, as the presence of an old and powerful entity filled the room. I glanced over at Alucard, wondering if he had felt it as well, and was surprised to see a wash of dark purple flames covering his body. There was no sound or heat or scent, nothing to signal that anything strange was happening, save the thrum that made the air fairly vibrate around me.

There was something oddly familiar about that fire, and it struck me when a large pair of curving black horns emerged from the flames. They were the same color as the ones Baskerville could use, and as I watched, the hellhound's ebony muzzle followed his horns. Next came his eight pulsing eyes, erect black ears, and a thickly muscled neck. A slender, long leg came forth, quickly followed by a large and heavy paw. Powerful shoulders, a deep chest, and a compact body were out next, and soon so were all of the familiar's limbs. Lastly, with a final step forward, the beast pulled his tail free from the fire, shook himself, and growled something in a tongue I couldn't understand. However, I now recognized it for what it was: Infernal, the speech of familiars and creatures like them.

"Yes, enjoy yourself, but don't kill it," Alucard said, probably in answer to a question the hellhound had asked. Baskerville growled again, tail flicking back and forth. Then he jerked his head in my direction, and when he looked at me I saw a smirk making itself at home on the right side of his jaws. Alucard scowled at whatever his familiar said, eyes narrowing a little as the purple fire around him died away. "You know well that is not the reason. Quit wasting time, we still have a mission to finish."

Baskerville only snorted loudly at this, and the look he gave me made it quite clear that he though Alucard was lying about what he'd just said. I stared back at the creature, then turned my gaze back at Alucard. The Vampire looked a bit irked, eyes still narrowed in a little scowl. When he noticed me staring at him, it deepened to almost a glare, and I quickly dropped my eyes to the Vigoroth.

There are times when you just don't gawk at a Vampire, mainly when he's irritated about something.

Something more interesting soon happened anyways. As I watched the Vigoroth, it started rocking back and forth, like it was trying to roll onto one of its sides. Its grunting became frenzied snarling, and within a few more seconds it had clambered to its feet. As its snarling grew into a particularly ear-splitting challenge-scream, I caught sight of a giant fireball blazing in my peripheral vision.

I looked over fully and saw the source. Baskerville had spontaneously combusted into a raging red orb of flames, or at least that's what it looked like. I peered a little closer and could barely make out the hellhound's form, and when I squinted to see better, I actually spotted the flames pouring from his entire body.

Now, a sane Pokemon, or any sane creature at all, would have sensed a massive ball of flaming fun not ten feet from their back. As it was, the Vigoroth was either the maddest Vampiric Pokemon I'd ever seen, or else it was just stupid. It never once looked behind it, but kept giving that awful scream as it swung its claws at me in a most useless manner.

When the fire around Baskerville swirled up into a roaring tornado, though, the Vigoroth ceased its screaming and scowled darkly. It started to turn, but by then the raging vortex had jumped forward and was rushing at the Pokemon. Before it could do anything more than stare, the flames washed over it, and then me as well.

I didn't get turned into a toasty De_Mon_, though. Since I wasn't the target, the Eruption didn't harm me. The Vigoroth wasn't as lucky. The second Baskerville's attack touched it, the thing started shrieking and flailing around. It collapsed after only a few seconds, twitching and grunting faintly.

Then the Eruption was over, and there was a moment of calm. It didn't last very long: within moments the Vigoroth was forcing itself to its feet, so angry it couldn't even scream. Instead, it huffed loudly and sucked in quick, deep breaths, eyes rolling as it finally managed to stand. When it had gotten upright, it turned to face Baskerville and started huffing louder, lifting its arms as it started stomping. Then it leapt forward, swinging its right arm down towards Baskerville's face.

Just as the Slash would have struck the hellhound in the muzzle, he smirked and stepped back into the shadows of the room, vanishing. The Vigoroth yipped in surprise and anger, bumbling forward with unspent momentum and nearly tripping over its feet. It stopped a few feet from the wall, whipping left and right as it tried to find the hellhound. It was so focused on its frenzied searching that it never noticed the blackness that started creeping along in the shadows in front of it. The dark splotch slid back and forth as it came closer, then darted forward quickly and tore itself free from the shadows, hitting the Vigoroth in the chest and knocking it back.

As the Vigoroth screamed, Baskerville changed from a large inky blob back into a normal hellhound, if a hellhound can be called normal. As he reformed, he clapped his forepaws onto the stunned Vigoroth's shoulders and dropped his jaws open. And open, and open…the creature's mouth craned open to an impossible angle, his fangs appearing to grow longer the whole time. After his jaws had opened to about a one-hundred degree angle, he snapped them shut around the Vigoroth's face in a Crunch move.

As it was attacked, the Vigoroth's screams became muffled. It started waving its arms about and trying to pull free, but Baskerville had a solid grip on his foe. He shook his head a few times, dizzying the Pokemon he was clutching and making its screams more distorted.

The screams suddenly changed in volume and pitch, though. They went from high and loud to deep and low, signaling the fading of the Pokemon's panic and the return of its endless rage. It flung its arms to the sides, a subtle wave of energy slithering down both and ending at the Pokemon's claws. Then it wrenched them forward, slamming them into the sides of Baskerville's skull with such force that the sound of the blow echoed around the dimly lit room.

Now a normal Houndoom, or any normal Pokemon period, would have been dropped by the Counter. However, even though he vaguely resembled a Houndoom, Baskerville was nowhere near close to actually being one. He was a creature of the Abyss, the most twisted pits of the Underworld, and linked forever to Alucard, serving him into eternity. He was an otherworldly being that such trivial attacks like a super-charged Counter could never hurt. So I honestly wasn't all that surprised when the move failed to faze the hellhound in the slightest.

After the Counter had been unleashed on his head, Baskerville gave the Vigoroth a final shake, then tossed it to the ground with a flick of his head. Even before it hit the floor, Baskerville opened his jaws again, normally this time, and expelled a wavering streamer of bright red flames. These swirled up into the air as they were released, spinning tighter and faster until they were a swaying cyclone that almost touched the ceiling.

Once it reached its peak, the whirling twister bore down on the Vigoroth, washing over it and sweeping it up as it zigged and zagged crazily around the room. From within the heat and noise of the Fire Spin came the Vigoroth's shrieking, high and wailing as it was carried along.

Finally, the attack hit a wall and ground itself out, leaving a charred and unhappy-looking Vigoroth in its wake. I watched it for a minute as the harassed thing started struggling to stand, and for a second I felt sorry for it. Then I remembered it was trying to kill us all, and the feeling faded. Now wasn't the time to get all soft, not if I wanted to finish this and try to cure the poor thing

As it rolled onto its stomach and slowly pushed itself to its feet, I dropped my Electrocution Barrier and lifted my arms. Next, I directed a burst of energy down each, gathering it in my palms and converting it into fire. As the conversion happened, the fire started leaking from my palms in the form of black drops. These dripped to the floor, and within a few moments a steaming pool of dark liquid fire was growing on the floor. When the last few drops of fire fell from my hand-paws and joined the rest, I jerked them up and clenched my fingers a little.

As the liquid flames rose into the air, I executed a few neat-looking movements with my arms. With each motion the flames took shape, molding themselves over and over until the mass had taken the form of an oriental Dragon. When it had fully made itself, the thing opened its jaws in a silent roar.

By this time, the Vigoroth had managed to get to its feet. Its attention was fully fixed on Baskerville, though: apparently, it was still hell-bent on beating the crap out of him. It was obviously tired though, stooping over so much its claws dragged on the floor as it stumbled towards the hellhound. I sighed softly, shaking my head as the massive flame-Dragon before me coiled in on itself idly. I turned my gaze to it, watching the sleek black body flowing like and endless river, and nodded once.

"Fire Profession, Specialty: Jet Dragon Firestorm, activate!" With these words, the Dragon pulled its head from its many coils, letting out another soundless bellow before surging forward. It reached the Vigoroth just as the Pokemon started to turn, its attention caught by my words. When it saw the giant thing towering above it, the Vigoroth let out a faint, choked noise, its eyes widening.

The Jet Dragon reared over the Vigoroth now, its jaws gaping open as it arched its thick neck. Then it dropped its maw over the frozen Pokemon, coiled its body around its head, and merrily exploded into a noiseless orb of flowing ebony fire.

The Vigoroth wasn't so quiet. Its cries rang out loud and long, though they stopped after only a few seconds. About half a minute later, the energy powering the Firestorm was spent, and the Dragon burned itself into a mass of black ash. This floated gently to the floor, coating the knocked-out Vigoroth in a layer and staining its pelt.

"Nice," came Alucard's voice a moment later, and I shot him a look before walking over to the knocked-out Pokemon and kneeling beside it. I placed a hand-paw on its chest, beginning the process of Binding it. As I did, a shimmering blast of eerie lavender flames suddenly bathed Baskerville, and by the time he'd vanished I had finished.

I sat back on my calves, breathing a soft sigh and checking on the other Vampiric Pokemon. They were still in the process of being Bound, and for now, at least, I could take a moment to rest…


End file.
